Citizens of Burkina Faso have attacked and burnt the French Embassy in protest over France’s involvement in the nation’s affairs.
Protesters in support of the new military leader of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traore stormed the country’s capital, Ouagadougou and burnt the French embassy there.
The protesters accused France of hiding the ousted military leader, Lt Col Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba.
The whereabout of Damiba is unclear but French authorities have denied any involvement and condemned the violence.
Meanwhile, protesters shouted angry, anti-France slogans including: “We don’t want France anymore. We no longer want France to be in Africa” and “Down with France.”
Some added: “We call on Russia” and suggested Russian intervention was preferable to any involvement by their former colonisers.
One demonstrator said: “We want frank cooperation with Russia. That’s why we hold the three flags. The Russian, Malian and Burkinabe flags.”
Another explained: “Damiba has failed and the people are not happy. And we are indeed going out today to show the whole world that we do not want this man anymore.
“At the moment, we have very seasoned soldiers who have taken power and we will support them until terrorism is driven out of our country.”
Damiba had promised to tackle jihadist violence but critics accused him of being too close to France which maintains a military presence in the region.
French spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre said condemned the violence against the embassy and said the protests were “the work of hostile demonstrators, manipulated by a campaign of disinformation against us.”
