The African Union has given Burkina Faso’s army two weeks to return power to a civilian government or face sanctions, the head of the organisation’s peace and security council said on Monday.

“The African Union is convinced the change has been against democracy. However, popular pressure led to the resignation of the president,” said an AU official, Simeon Oyono Esono.

“We have taken note of the origin of the popular revolt which led to the military getting power, so we determined the period of two weeks and after that period we are going apply sanctions.”

The west African nation’s military took power after the longtime president, Blaise Compaoré, stepped down on Friday following two days of mass protests over his attempt to extend his rule through a constitutional amendment.

The head of Burkina Faso’s military regime promised a “consensus” leader on Monday in talks for a unity government. Having named Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida as interim head of state, the military said “power does not interest us”.

Zida was locked in negotiations from 10.00am with diplomats at the foreign ministry. He told diplomats: “The executive branch will be led by a transitional body within a constitutional framework … [it] will be headed by a person appointed by the consensus of all actors in public life.”

He gave no timetable for the transition but said he wanted a new regime in place within the shortest possible period. “We’re not here to steal power,” he told reporters after the meeting.

The talks built on meetings late on Sunday between Zida and the ambassadors of France, the United States and the European Union.

Traffic flowed normally in the streets of the capital, Ouagadougou, after the latest protests on Sunday, with the largest market ending a six-day shutdown and banks open, according to an AFP journalist.

Troops cracked down sharply on several thousand protesters demonstrating in the city’s central square against the military takeover on Sunday.