Burkina Faso's President Michel Kafando has said he and his government were back in power a week after a coup, though it was unclear who was really in charge after the rebellion's leader attended a state function.

"I have returned to work," Mr Kafando told journalists at the foreign ministry.

At around the same time, around three miles away, coup leader General Gilbert Diendere appeared at the airport, backed by a contingent of his presidential guard, to welcome regional leaders arriving to try to negotiate an end to the crisis.

Troops loyal to the government, who had arrived in the capital from bases across the country to disarm the coup leaders, were not visible on the streets of Ouagadougou.

Presidential guard soldiers maintained their positions at the national television headquarters, despite a deal signed overnight between the two sides under which they were to be confined to barracks to avoid clashes.

Leaders from Nigeria, Senegal, Niger, Togo, Benin and Ghana arrived in the country, underlining the regional concern for a country that was less that a month away from elections when the rebelling soldiers staged a coup.

The October election was meant to restore Burkina Faso to democracy after last year's overthrow of longtime ruler Blaise Compaore by massed crowds protesting against his plans to extend his rule.

Gen Diendere is the former spy chief and right-hand man of Mr Compaore whose overthrow had made Burkina Faso a beacon for democratic aspirations in Africa, where veteran rulers in countries from Rwanda to Congo Republic are seeking to scrap constitutional term limits.