Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore sits on a stage to support a commitment to stop poaching of African elephants at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in New York, in this file picture taken September 26, 2013. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/Files
OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) - The head of Burkina Faso's armed forces took power on Friday after President Blaise Compaore resigned amid mass demonstrations against an attempt to extend his 27-year rule in the West African country.
Compaore, who seized power in a 1987 coup, had attempted to defy popular pressure for him to step down after a day of violent protests on Thursday in which demonstrators stormed parliament and state television.
