Hundreds of protesters entered Mali's presidential palace unopposed on Monday and said they would remain there until interim civilian president Dioncounda Traore resigned, a Reuters witness said.

The protesters tore up images of Traore and called for him to be replaced by Captain Amadou Sanogo, the officer who led the March 22 military coup, the witness said. Soldiers positioned at the palace stood by as the civilians entered the buildings.

Earlier, negotiations between the West African block ECOWAS and the junta, which often ended in stalemate, led to an agreement on Sunday that coup leader Captain Sanogo would step down with all the privileges owed to a former president.