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| In Burkina Faso, Violent Protests Against Plan to Extend Leader’s Rule | In Burkina Faso, Violent Protests Against Plan to Extend Leader’s Rule |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — Demonstrators surged through the dusty streets of Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, on Thursday, overrunning state broadcasters, setting fire to the Parliament building and torching the homes of relatives of President Blaise Compaoré in a paroxysm of protest against his plans to extend his 27 years in office. | OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — Demonstrators surged through the dusty streets of Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, on Thursday, overrunning state broadcasters, setting fire to the Parliament building and torching the homes of relatives of President Blaise Compaoré in a paroxysm of protest against his plans to extend his 27 years in office. |
| After several hours of increasingly violent protests, a government spokesman announced that a bill seeking to extend the presidential term had been dropped, or at least delayed. The statement did nothing to quell the protests. | After several hours of increasingly violent protests, a government spokesman announced that a bill seeking to extend the presidential term had been dropped, or at least delayed. The statement did nothing to quell the protests. |
| The venting of rage was depicted by some analysts as the most serious challenge to Mr. Compaoré's grip on power since he took office. | The venting of rage was depicted by some analysts as the most serious challenge to Mr. Compaoré's grip on power since he took office. |
| At the presidential palace, soldiers fired live rounds and used tear gas to repel crowds seeking to storm the building, witnesses said. | At the presidential palace, soldiers fired live rounds and used tear gas to repel crowds seeking to storm the building, witnesses said. |
| Gen. Honoré Nabéré Traoré, the chief of staff of Burkina Faso’s armed forces, was scheduled to make a statement later on Thursday with a former defense minister, Gen. Kouamé Lougué, who had been seeking to calm the protests in central Ouagadougou, military officials said. | |
| Elsewhere in the city, opposition leaders demanded the resignation of Mr. Compaoré, a former soldier who seized power in a coup in 1987. He subsequently won several elections, the most recent in November 2010. | |
| In a statement on Thursday, France, the former colonial power, which operates a special forces base in Burkina Faso, said it “deplored the violence that has taken place in and around the National Assembly” in Ouagadougou and urged calm. | |
| France regards Mr. Compaoré as a crucial regional ally in its efforts to confront Islamic militants in the broader Sahel region that have ties to Al Qaeda. Burkina Faso, formerly called Upper Volta, is home to around 3,600 French citizens. | France regards Mr. Compaoré as a crucial regional ally in its efforts to confront Islamic militants in the broader Sahel region that have ties to Al Qaeda. Burkina Faso, formerly called Upper Volta, is home to around 3,600 French citizens. |
| The American Embassy in Ouagadougou said in a statement that the United States was “deeply concerned” by the violence and urged “all parties including the security forces” to seek a peaceful outcome. | |
| In the early years after Burkina Faso’s independence in 1960, power changed hands in a series of coups, but more recently the country has achieved a measure of stability. Its citizens, however, have grown increasingly restive over the past few months as the president’s allies have tried to persuade Parliament to scrap a constitutional limit on presidential terms. | |
| For three consecutive days, the capital has been rocked by protests, which could have a wide influence in other African countries whose leaders are considering measures that would extend their time in office. | For three consecutive days, the capital has been rocked by protests, which could have a wide influence in other African countries whose leaders are considering measures that would extend their time in office. |
| Alain Édouard Traoré, the communications minister, said on Thursday that the government had shelved the plan to change the Constitution. But that did not immediately appear to calm crowds seeking emblems of Mr. Compaoré's rule as targets for their wrath. | Alain Édouard Traoré, the communications minister, said on Thursday that the government had shelved the plan to change the Constitution. But that did not immediately appear to calm crowds seeking emblems of Mr. Compaoré's rule as targets for their wrath. |
| “It is over for the regime,” demonstrators shouted after Mr. Traoré's announcement, according to The Associated Press. “We do not want him again.” | “It is over for the regime,” demonstrators shouted after Mr. Traoré's announcement, according to The Associated Press. “We do not want him again.” |
| Several people were killed by gunfire, news reports said. | |
| Initial reports said that demonstrators had broken through police lines to take over the Parliament building and prevent lawmakers from voting on the contentious proposal to overturn a provision that limits the president to two terms. | |
| Black smoke was seen rising from the Parliament building. | Black smoke was seen rising from the Parliament building. |
| State-owned radio and television stations suspended broadcasts after demonstrators took over their headquarters, looting television equipment and setting fire to cars, news reports said. | State-owned radio and television stations suspended broadcasts after demonstrators took over their headquarters, looting television equipment and setting fire to cars, news reports said. |
| Protesters also set fire to the homes of several of Mr. Compaoré’s relatives and advisers, and to the offices of the governing party. | Protesters also set fire to the homes of several of Mr. Compaoré’s relatives and advisers, and to the offices of the governing party. |
| Three motionless bodies were seen in the street near the home of Mr. Compaoré’s brother, Reuters reported, after troops there fired live rounds and used tear gas as a crowd approached. | Three motionless bodies were seen in the street near the home of Mr. Compaoré’s brother, Reuters reported, after troops there fired live rounds and used tear gas as a crowd approached. |