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Sankara remains: Burkina Faso late leader 'riddled with bullets' | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
An autopsy shows the supposed remains of Burkina Faso's former leader Thomas Sankara are "riddled with bullets", his family's lawyer says. | An autopsy shows the supposed remains of Burkina Faso's former leader Thomas Sankara are "riddled with bullets", his family's lawyer says. |
The family is still waiting for DNA results to confirm the body's identity. | The family is still waiting for DNA results to confirm the body's identity. |
Seen as Africa's Che Guevara, the anti-imperialist revolutionary was hastily buried in a 1987 coup. | Seen as Africa's Che Guevara, the anti-imperialist revolutionary was hastily buried in a 1987 coup. |
Permission for an exhumation was denied during the 27-year rule of his successor Blaise Compaore, who was ousted in an uprising last year. | Permission for an exhumation was denied during the 27-year rule of his successor Blaise Compaore, who was ousted in an uprising last year. |
Mr Compaore has always denied being involved in the ex-leader's killing, insisting that the "facts are known" and he has "nothing to hide". | Mr Compaore has always denied being involved in the ex-leader's killing, insisting that the "facts are known" and he has "nothing to hide". |
While he was in office, a Burkina Faso court blocked a request by Mr Sankara's family for his remains to be exhumed. | While he was in office, a Burkina Faso court blocked a request by Mr Sankara's family for his remains to be exhumed. |
That changed last year when a transitional government came in after street protests. | That changed last year when a transitional government came in after street protests. |
The exhumation started in May but the autopsy report was delayed during last month's seven-day coup. | The exhumation started in May but the autopsy report was delayed during last month's seven-day coup. |
Ambroise Farama, one of the lawyers representing the Sankara family, said that the revelations about Mr Sankara's body were "mind-boggling", the AFP news agency reports. | Ambroise Farama, one of the lawyers representing the Sankara family, said that the revelations about Mr Sankara's body were "mind-boggling", the AFP news agency reports. |
"You could say he was purely and simply riddled with bullets," he said. | "You could say he was purely and simply riddled with bullets," he said. |
Autopsies on the other 12 soldiers buried with him in 1987 revealed they had only one or two gunshot wounds. | Autopsies on the other 12 soldiers buried with him in 1987 revealed they had only one or two gunshot wounds. |
"But as far as Thomas Sankara was concerned, there were more than a dozen all over the body, even below the armpits," Mr Farama is quoted as saying. | "But as far as Thomas Sankara was concerned, there were more than a dozen all over the body, even below the armpits," Mr Farama is quoted as saying. |
Soldiers linked to Mr Compaore were behind last month's putsch, which delayed presidential elections due last Sunday. | Soldiers linked to Mr Compaore were behind last month's putsch, which delayed presidential elections due last Sunday. |
Burkina Faso's interim government has now rescheduled the poll for Tuesday 29 November. | Burkina Faso's interim government has now rescheduled the poll for Tuesday 29 November. |
Who was Thomas Sankara? | Who was Thomas Sankara? |
'Africa's Che Guevara': Thomas Sankara's legacy | 'Africa's Che Guevara': Thomas Sankara's legacy |
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