Guinea-Bissau army officers seize control, detain president

Shafaq News – Bissau

Senior army officers in Guinea-Bissau announced on Wednesday that they had taken full control of the country “until further notice,” following a disputed presidential election that triggered unrest in the capital.

In a statement delivered at army headquarters in Bissau, the officers said they had removed President Umaro Sissoco Embalo from power and suspended the contested electoral process. They noted the move was necessary to “correct the situation” before restoring constitutional order, adding that the president was being “treated well.”

The military also ordered the closure of the country’s borders, three days after presidential and legislative elections marked by the exclusion of the main opposition candidate. Both Embalo and his challenger, Fernando Dias, had claimed victory ahead of the expected release of official results on Thursday.

Earlier today, gunfire was heard near the presidential palace after armed men in military uniform seized control of the main road leading to the compound. Government sources told the BBC that Embalo had been detained following the shooting, which witnesses reported around 13:00 GMT. AFP noted that hundreds of residents fled on foot or by vehicle seeking shelter as gunfire echoed through parts of the capital.

Guinea-Bissau, a former Portuguese colony with a population of just under two million, is among the world’s poorest countries and has experienced nine coups or attempted coups since 1980.