Daily Briefing: Guinea in Confusion, As Elite Special Forces Stage Coup in Conakry
Guinean Special Forces announced in a short broadcast on state television that President Alpha Conde's government had been dissolved hours after heavy gunfire erupted near the presidential palace.
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The elite unit (Groupement des forces Spéciales) of the army which is said to be at the origin of this coup is led by a certain Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, identified as a former legionnaire of the French army who returned to the country in 2018.
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The Republic of Guinea is independent since 2 October 1958. The West African country has seen sustained economic growth during Conde's decade in power thanks to its bauxite, iron ore, gold and diamond wealth, but few of its citizens have seen the benefits.
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The defence ministry said the attemped insurgency had been put down, according to Reuters News Agency.
"The presidential guard, supported by the loyalist and republican defence and security forces, contained the threat and repelled the group of assailants," it said in a statement.
"Security and combing operations are continuing to restore order and peace."
After President Alpha Conde's re-election in 2020, for a third term. The 83-year-old leader has faced permanent instability on the political, social and security levels. Critics say the government has used restrictive criminal laws to discourage dissent, while ethnic divisions and endemic graft have sharpened political rivalries.
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