Following a coup d’etat by the Presidential guard in Burkina Faso that saw the imprisonment of the transitional President and Prime Minister, Michael Kafando and Isaac Zida, General Gilbert Diendere took power.
General Gilbert Diendere, an ally of ousted leader, Blaise Compoare, once served as chief of staff to Compoare. The coup plotters named him Head of state after the coup was carried out.
International pressure from the United Nations as well as ECOWAS eventually led to Diendere’s reluctant decision to hand over power back to the transitional government.¨
General Diendere is now facing an 11 count charge among which includes a charge for crimes against humanity. He is accused of leading the Presidential guard to execute the September 17 coup and the direct unrest which followed led to the deaths of 14 people. 251 people were also reportedly injured.
The Presidential guard was disbanded after the coup and elections have been postponed till November 29.