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Turmoil engulfed the impoverished west African nation of Guinea once more on Sunday as military putschists mentioned that they had captured the president and staged a coup, and the federal government insisted it has repelled the assault.
“Now we have determined, after having taken the president, to dissolve the structure,” mentioned a uniformed officer flanked by troopers toting assault rifles in a video despatched to AFP.
The officer additionally mentioned that Guinea’s land and air borders have been shut and the federal government dissolved.
However the state of affairs remained unclear as Conde’s authorities additionally launched an announcement saying that an assault on the presidential palace by particular forces had been “repulsed”.
Guinea – one of many world’s poorest nations regardless of boasting vital mineral sources — has lengthy been beset by political instability.
Earlier on Sunday, residents of the capital Conakry’s Kaloum district, the federal government quarter, reported listening to heavy gunfire.
Talking on situation of anonymity for his or her security, they reported seeing a lot of troopers on the streets who known as on residents to return to their properties and keep there.
A Western diplomat in Conakry, who additionally declined to be named, mentioned the unrest began after the dismissal of a senior commander within the particular forces – upsetting a few of its extremely educated members to insurgent and occupy the presidential palace.
READ | Gunfire in Guinea capital, troops on streets
AFP was unable to independently affirm this account.
The officer within the putsch video launched in a while Sunday, sporting sun shades and a purple beret, mentioned that the military had taken motion due to authorities dysfunction, corruption and “the trampling of residents’ rights,” amongst different causes.
The obvious coup comes amid a protracted interval of political stress in Guinea, first spurred by Conde’s extremely contested bid for a 3rd presidential time period final yr.
The day earlier than the presidential election final yr, the navy blocked entry to Kaloum after an alleged navy rise up east of the capital.
Conde, 83, additionally survived an assassination try in 2011.
Violent elections
The newest presidential ballot within the nationwide of some 13 million individuals, in October 2020, was violently disputed and likewise marred by accusations of electoral fraud.
Conde received a controversial third time period in that ballot, however solely after pushing by a brand new structure in March 2020 that allowed him to sidestep the nation’s two-term restrict.
Dozens of individuals had been killed throughout demonstrations towards a 3rd time period for the president, typically in clashes with safety forces. Tons of had been additionally arrested.
READ | Thailand: 1000’s be part of Bangkok rally demanding PM’s resignation
Conde was then proclaimed president on November 7 final yr – regardless of his important challenger Cellou Dalein Diallo in addition to different opposition figures calling the election a sham.
After the ballot, the federal government launched a crackdown and arrested a number of distinguished opposition members for his or her alleged position in abetting electoral violence within the nation.
A former opposition chief himself who was at one level imprisoned and sentenced to dying, Conde grew to become Guinea’s first democratically-elected chief in 2010 and received re-election in 2015.
Hopes of a brand new political daybreak within the former French colony have withered, nevertheless, and he has been accused of drifting into authoritarianism.
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