Military officers announce removal of Burkina junta leader

Military officers announced the removal from office of Burkina Faso's junta leader.

The dismissal of Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who himself came to power in a coup last January, was announced in a statement read out on national television.

The rebelling military also announced the closure of borders from midnight, as well as the suspension of the constitution and the dissolution of the government.

They declared the country's new strongman as Captain Ibrahim Traore.

Around 15 soldiers in fatigues appeared on the Radio-Television broadcaster shortly before 8:00 pm local time and read out the statement.

"We have decided to take our responsibilities, driven by a single ideal -- the restoration of security and integrity of our territory", they said.

A curfew from 9:00 pm to 5:00 am was also announced.

The government said an "internal crisis" within the army was behind troop deployments in key areas of the capital, and said negotiations were underway after shots rang out before dawn.

The state television was cut for several hours, broadcasting a blank screen for several hours saying: "no video signal".

A second government source said, "The negotiations are continuing... the soldiers are maintaining pressure through their presence at strategic points they occupied this morning" in the capital.

Soldiers were seen at the city's main crossroads, especially in Ouaga 2000 but also outside the state television centre.