The Burkina Faso presidential guard asked for interim Prime Minister Isaac Zida to step down this week prompting the country to review the guard's role to try to defuse the dispute between the elite corps and prime minister, according to Today.

Following the call for resignation, Zida canceled a cabinet meeting Wednesday. Instead, he was called to talk to the guard, which asked him to step down and stop his efforts in reducing their size and pay.

Zida, a former senior commander of the presidential guard and who leads a cabinet full of military leaders, prompted the United Nations and African Union officials to warn against interference in Burkina Faso's transition to democracy.

After a meeting with military commanders Wednesday, transitional President Michel Kafando said he would create a commission "to rule on the future role and functioning of the presidential security regiment."

"The head of state appeals to everyone for calm," he said, adding the prime minster would also hold talks with army officials.

Civil Rights groups called for the presidential guard to be dissolved. They announced a demonstration will be held on Saturday to protest against an attempt to "sabotage the democratic transition."

The army's presidential security regiment has been criticized for its role in allowing security forces to stop mass protests that overthrew President Blaise Compaore back in October, Yahoo! News reported.

About 24 people were killed and 600 injured during the demonstrations.

"Unless RSP members are offered continued salary payment, pension rights and career progression, they could resort to violence and threaten the transition," The International Crisis Group said.

Burkina Faso is known for changing its regime by staging coups since its independence from France in 1960.

Zida became interim prime minister after the former president fled the country and the military seized power.

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