West African bloc suspends Burkina Faso following coup: Sources

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – In the wake of Monday’s coup in Burkina Faso, an influential West African regional bloc has suspended Burkina Faso from its governing bodies, sources have confirmed.

The move came Friday at an extraordinary virtual Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) summit to discuss the political situation in the country convened by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Ghana’s president and chairman of the bloc’s authority of heads of state and government.

Since the takeover by the military, through a group calling itself the Patriotic Movement for Liberation and Restoration, figures close to deposed President Roch Marc Christian Kabore have been arrested.

Media reports said the head of the National Assembly, Alassane Bala Sakande, Prime Minister Lassina Zerbo, and other high-ranking members or figures close to Kabore's government have been barred from leaving their homes.

Kabore was detained Monday and later resigned following the coup.

The UN has called for the immediate release of Kabore and high-level officials who have been detained.