[ 2011-04-18 ]

Burkina Faso army mutiny spreads to fourth city
An army mutiny which erupted last week in the West
African state of Burkina Faso has spread to a
fourth city.

Protests have now broken out in Kaya in the north
of the country, following disturbances in Po and
Tenkodogo.

The trouble started last Thursday when soldiers
and presidential guards in the capital Ouagadougou
protested about unpaid housing allowances.

Hours before the revolt broke out, tens of
thousands of people had demonstrated against high
food prices.

'Police join mutiny'

President Blaise Compaore, a former coup leader in
power since 1987, has sacked his government and
appointed a new head of the armed forces to try to
quell the unrest.

His government warned on Sunday that mutinous
soldiers would face "the full force of the law".

BBC Ouagadougou correspondent Mathieu Bonkongou
confirmed that the unrest had now reached Kaya.

Soldiers and police reportedly took to the city's
streets late on Sunday and began firing guns into
the air until the early hours of Monday.

It is said to be the first time that police have
taken part in the mutiny.

The violence in the capital had seen at least 45
injured people admitted to hospital.

In March, some soldiers went on the rampage and
managed to free a number of colleagues arrested
for rape.

Source - BBC

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