Burkina Faso's military backs Zida for transitional leader

Burkina Faso's military backed a presidential guard officer on Saturday to lead a transitional government after the resignation of President Blaise Compaore, resolving a power struggle within the armed forces by sidelining the chief of staff.

Senior military officials held talks on Saturday aimed at averting bloodshed after Lt. Col. Isaac Zida declared himself head of state in an early morning radio address, overruling military chief General Honore Traore's claim a day earlier that he would lead the transitional government.

"Lieutenant Colonel Yacouba Isaac Zida has been elected unanimously to lead the transition period opened after the departure of President Blaise Compaore," read a statement issued by the military hierarchy after the talks.

The assumption of power by Traore, a Compaore loyalist, was unpopular with many demonstrators and junior army officers.

The form and duration of the transition will be decided in talks with all sections of society, the statement said.

The Union for Progress and Change (UPC), the main opposition party, immediately called for the army to open discussions with civil society and political groups on the roadmap to elections.

Troops loyal to Zida patrolled the quiet streets of the capital Ouagadougou after Zida made the radio announcement that he was taking over as head of state to avoid a descent into anarchy and to ensure a swift democratic transition.

"I assume from today the responsibilities of head of this transition and head of state," Zida said. "I salute the memory of the martyrs of this uprising and bow to the sacrifices made by our people."

Compaore stepped down on Friday after two days of mass protests against his attempt to change the constitution in order to extend his 27-year rule. At least three people were killed after protesters stormed the parliament building and set it on fire.

With fears running high of potential clashes between rival branches of the army, Zida met for talks with Traore and other military top brass at the main military camp in Ouagadougou, where the decision was made to back Zida.

The unfolding crisis is being closely watched by the United States and former colonial power France, which were close military allies of Compaore. Under his rule, Burkina Faso became a key ally in Western operations against Al-Qaeda-linked groups in West Africa, but a coup d'etat would freeze U.S. military cooperation.

"We condemn any attempts by the military or other parties to take advantage of the situation for unconstitutional gain and call on all parties to respect the people's support for the democratic process," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement released late on Friday.

While Compaore was respected on the international stage, critics noted that under his semi-authoritarian rule the country of 18 million people remained mired in poverty.

His exit will have significance throughout the region, where many leaders have pushed through constitutional changes to prolong their rule and others are attempting to, said Phillipe Hugon, a West Africa expert with the Institute for Strategic and International Relations.

"It's obvious that what happened will have an echo in other countries," Hugon said.

The government of neighboring Ivory Coast said on Saturday that Compaore had arrived there with his family and entourage, but did not specify his location. Military sources said he was staying in a presidential retreat in the coastal resort of Assinie to the east of the economic capital, Abidjan.

Zida added Saturday that a roadmap to elections would be drafted by a body drawn from different elements of society, including political parties and civil society.

He appealed to the African Union and West African regional bloc ECOWAS to show their support for the transition.

"This is not a coup d'etat but a popular uprising," he told Reuters after making his statement. "The people have hopes and expectations, and we believe we have understood them."

It was the seventh time that a military officer had taken over as head of state since the country declared independence from France in 1960, when it was known as Upper Volta.

Al Jazeera and wire services