Honore Traore

Burkina Faso’s former president fled to neighboring Ivory Coast with his family after violent protests drove him from power after 27 years in office, Ivory Coast said Saturday, as a largely unknown military colonel said he had taken the helm.

The president of Burkina Faso stepped down Friday after protesters stormed parliament and set the building ablaze, ending the 27-year reign of one of Africa’s longest-serving rulers who had survived previous attempts to topple him.

Burkina Faso’s leader of nearly three decades declared astate of emergency Thursday, hours after protesters who oppose his bid for another term stormed the parliament and set part of it on fire, marking the greatest threat to his rule since he himself seized power in a coup.