Mr Compaore issued a statement saying the
presidency was now vacant and urging elections
within 90 days.
An army spokesman also broke the news to cheering demonstrators in the capital, Ouagadougou.

On Thursday, protesters angry at Mr Compaore's
attempt to amend the constitution set fire to
parliament.

Following the protests, Mr Compaore said he had
agreed not to seek another term, but that he would remain in power until a transitional government had completed its work in 2015.

However, the opposition continued to demand that he resign. Its leader, Zephirin Diabre, urged
protesters to occupy public spaces.
There were cheers when the army spokesman told
the crowd gathered in front of army headquarters on Friday that Mr Compaore had left office, AFP news agency reports.

Mr Compaore's statement, read on television, said
there was now a "power vacuum" and called for "free
and transparent" elections within 90 days.
His whereabouts now remain unclear.
Late on Thursday, army chief Gen Honore Traore had
announced the creation of the transitional
government, declared the dissolution of parliamentand imposed a night curfew.

*Blaise Compaore
Former soldier and served under President
Thomas Sankara as minister of state to the
presidency

Took power after Sankara was killed in mysterious
circumstances by a group of soldiers in 1987

First elected president in 1991 and again in 1998

A new constitution in 2000 limited presidents to
two terms in office, and limited terms to five
yearsWon two further terms

Faced outbreaks of violence on several occasions,
including a military mutiny in 2011.

Protests at attempts to amend the term limits
began a year ago, fuelled by the high cost of living.
m.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29851445