Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida, Burkina Faso's interim leader, has said that the military will cede power to a transition government headed by a "consensus" leader, in a bid to calm accusations that it had seized power in a coup.

"Our understanding is that the executive powers will be led by a transitional body but within a constitutional framework that we will watch over carefully," Zida told a gathering of diplomats and journalists in the capital Ouagadougou, without giving a timeframe for the changeover.

The army stepped into a power vacuum after Blaise Compaore was forced to resign the presidency last week in the wake of violent demonstrations over an attempt to extend his 27-year-rule.

Naming Zida as interim leader on Saturday, the military said it was acting in the interests of the nation and that "power does not interest us".

But its takeover has also sparked angry protests.

Zida was locked in negotiations with diplomats from France, US and European Union at the foreign ministry, while senior opposition figures were to meet later with their leader Zephirin Diabre.

The crisis will also be the subject of a meeting of the African Union's Peace and Security Council later on Monday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa, reporting from Ouagadougou, said that as of Monday afternoon the streets in the capital have calmed down after days of protests.

But she said that civilians are eager to see the transition haapen as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, the opposition has raised fears that the military would expand its powers.

"The political opposition and civil society organisations insist that the victory of the popular uprising belongs to the people and therefore the transition government legitimately falls to them and should under no circumstances be confiscated by the military," Jean-Hubert Bazie, a spokesman for the opposition parties, told Al Jazeera.

Shots fired

The army on Sunday launched a sharp crackdown when several thousand protesters gathered at a rally against the military takeover in the city's central square.

Some protesters had headed to the national television station headquarters where two opposition leaders made separate attempts to go on air to declare themselves interim leader.

Former defence minister Kouame Lougue, whose name was chanted by thousands in the streets following Compaore's downfall, told the AFP news agency: "The people have nominated me. I came to answer their call."

But the TV technicians walked out, interrupting transmission and also foiling a bid by Saran Sereme, a former member of the ruling party, to make her claim as leader.

One person was killed close to the television headquarters where soldiers fired shots in the air to disperse protesters. The army said the victim was likely struck by a stray bullet.

Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the UN envoy for West Africa, issued a warning that if the army refuses to transfer power "the consequences are pretty clear".

"We want to avoid having to impose sanctions on Burkina Faso," he said.

Al Jazeera