Military in Burkina Faso confirms coup

Burkina Faso's interim president, Michel Kafando, has been stripped of his functions and the government dissolved, a military official said on state-run RTB Television on Thursday.

"We have put in place a national democracy council tasked with organising democratic and inclusive elections," said the unidentified official in military uniform.

The US has called for the immediate release of Burkina Faso's interim president and other leaders after they were arrested by the presidential guard, according to Reuters.

"The United States strongly condemns any attempt to seize power through extra-constitutional means or resolve internal political disagreements using force," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.

The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed outrage on Wednesday at reports of the detention of Burkina Faso's president and prime minister and several ministers, calling for their immediate release, Reuters reported.

"The secretary general is outraged by reports of the detention of President Michel Kafando and Prime Minister Yacouba Isaac Zida of Burkina Faso," Ban's press office said in a statement. "The Secretary-General calls for their immediate release. This incident is a flagrant violation of Burkina Faso's Constitution and Transitional Charter."