PRESIDENTIAL guard officers announced yesterday that they had seized power in a coup and dissolved the country’s transitional government just weeks before scheduled elections.

Lt Col Mamadou Bamba announced on television that the coup leaders identified themselves as the National Council for Democracy.

Their public statement confirmed what many had suspected when the transitional president and prime minister were arrested on Wednesday and barricades were erected around the presidency.

The leaders of the coup announced later that General Gilbert Diendere, a former aide to ousted long-term president Blaise Compaore, now led the country.

Mr Compaore was himself forced to resign in October 2014 by a popular uprising sparked by his bid to prolong his rule.

The military communique declared that land and air borders were closed and that a curfew would be in effect from 7pm to 6am.

The US, which along with France has been a close military ally of Burkina Faso, said that it was “deeply concerned” by the events.