Burkina Faso prime minister released

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) — Burkina Faso’s military says that the interim prime minister has been released by the presidential guard that seized power in a coup last week.

The release of Prime Minister Lt. Col. Yacouba Isaac Zida announced early Tuesday came as the National Armed Forces stepped up the pressure on the mutinous soldiers to stand down.

The coup leader, Gen. Gilbert Diendere, later apologized to the nation through a communique and said he would hand over power to a civilian transitional government.

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