France’s president Francois Hollande has criticized the recent military coup in Burkina Faso, saying, however, there is “no reason” for French troops stationed in the West African country to intervene.

"I strongly condemn this coup d'etat because an electoral process was under way and the dates had been fixed," Hollande told reporters on Thursday in Saclay, a commune near Paris.

He further called on those responsible for the current developments in the former French colony “to immediately stop what they are doing," noting, however, that the French soldiers operating in the landlocked African state "have no reason to intervene."

About 220 French soldiers are based in Burkina Faso as part of the so-called anti-terrorism operation in Africa’s Sahel region, code-named Barkhane, which was launched in August 2014. 

Burkina Faso plunged into chaos on Wednesday when Burkina Faso's presidential guard, loyal to toppled president Blaise Compaoré, kidnapped President Michel Kafando and Prime Minister Isaac Zida, and two ministers.

The coup in the African country came just weeks before national elections due on October 11.

One dead, scores injured in protests

Following the coup, at least one person died and scores more were injured on Thursday in protests in several places in Burkina Faso.

In the second city of Bobo-Dioulasso, shops were shut and soldiers remained in their barracks, residents said.

"There are crowds on the streets," a taxi driver said, adding that the home of a member of Compaore's party had been torched. Angry residents also put up barricades in other towns and cities.

EU slams the coup

The European Union denounced the detention of Burkina Faso's interim officials as a threat to the country’s upcoming elections and demanded their immediate release.

"The EU calls for the immediate release of those detained and respect for the political transition and the national interest," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement.

In a televised address on Thursday, Lieutenant-Colonel Mamadou Bamba declared that the presidential guard had "dissolved" the country's political institutions and established a "national democratic council.”

"The patriotic forces, grouped together in the National Council for Democracy, have decided today to put an end to the deviant transitional regime," Bamba said on RTB state television.

General Gilbert Diendere, Compaore's former chief-of-staff, was also appointed head of the country’s new ruling authority.

The Burkinabe transitional government came to power after Compaore, then 27-year-long president of the country, was ousted in October last year in the aftermath of demonstrations following his attempt to change the constitution to seek a new term.