The U.S. State Department said Monday that it was not ready to determine whether the takeover of Burkina Faso's government by the country's army amounted to a coup, which, if it occurred, would require a cutoff of U.S. aid to the African nation. "Right now, the precise makeup of Burkina Faso's transitional government is an outstanding issue," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters, calling for a return to civilian rule and elections. "We are certainly encouraging movement to a civilian-led transition, and then, of course, elections. At this point, we're still gathering facts. We're not going to make a policy or legal determination at this point in time." President Blaise Compaore's departure last week left a power vacuum in the West African nation amid protests against his bid to extend his 27-year rule through a constitutional amendment. The military named Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida, deputy commander of the elite presidential guard, as head of state Saturday. The United States has provided roughly $14.8 million in assistance to Burkina Faso in fiscal year 2014, including for food and health programs.
