Burkina Faso’s interim President Michel Kafando has been reinstated just a week after the military coup. Kafando declared yesterday that the transitional civilian government had been restored after they had been taken hostage during the coup last week.

“I have returned to work. The transition is back and at this very minute is exercising the power of the state,” Kafando said during a press conference at the Foreign Ministry in the capital Ouagadougou.

The presidential guard had lead the coup and the leader, General Gilbert Diendere, told local media that it had been the “biggest mistake,” reported the BBC.

“We knew the people were not in favour of it. That is why we have given up,” Diendere continued.

The transitional government in the country was installed after President Blaise Compaore fled the country due to massive demonstrations opposing his 27-year-rule. Compaore ran to the Ivory Coast on October 31 last year. Yacouba Issac Zida, the second-in-command of the presidential guard took power when Compaore left. It was after the African Union threatened sanctions against the country that the leaders agreed on a transitional period.

On October 11 this year elections are due to be held to elect a new president.