BISSAU, Feb 1 (Reuters) – The West African bloc ECOWAS on Tuesday condemned an ‘tried coup’ in Guinea-Bissau, the place heavy gunfire was heard close to a authorities compound the place the president had been chairing a cupboard assembly.
If confirmed, this could be the second coup in West Africa in as many weeks after the navy seized energy in Burkina Faso final week. learn extra
“ECOWAS is following with nice concern the evolution of the state of affairs in Guinea-Bissau … the place navy gunfire is happening across the Authorities Palace,” the organisation mentioned.
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U.N. Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres is “deeply involved” by the stories from Guinea-Bissau, a spokesman mentioned.
President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and cupboard members had been within the compound, surrounded by the navy, in response to three sources — one diplomatic, one safety and one police. The president and ministers’ actual state of affairs was unclear.
Political instability has blighted Guinea-Bissau for many years, with 9 coups or tried coups since independence from Portugal in 1974.
The Portuguese embassy urged its residents in Guinea-Bissau to remain at residence.
A safety supply with contacts contained in the Authorities Palace mentioned an unknown variety of folks had been hit by gunfire. A second supply mentioned two folks had been useless, but it surely was unclear who they had been.
Usually busy streets across the Authorities Palace had been abandoned on Tuesday afternoon, a civil society activist mentioned. An unverified video shared on social media appeared to indicate a person standing exterior the compound firing a rocket-propelled grenade.
Members of presidency didn’t reply phone calls from Reuters in search of verification of what was taking place.
Sissoco Embalo had begun chairing a unprecedented cupboard assembly at round 10 a.m., coming into the constructing with a heavy safety element, a diplomatic supply mentioned.
The cupboard assembly was being held to organize for a forthcoming ECOWAS summit in response to final week’s navy coup in Burkina Faso.
Embalo and his prime minister, Nuno Gomes Nabiam, have been at odds for weeks. The prime minister voiced opposition to a minor authorities shake-up final week by which a handful of ministers had been changed.
The nation was thrown into post-election turmoil two years in the past when the runner-up Domingos Simoes Pereira and his highly effective PAIGC celebration contested the outcomes that handed Embalo the presidency. Pereira accused Embalo of illegally seizing energy with the backing of the nation’s navy, which he denied.
West Africa has seen a rash of coups within the final 18 months. Emboldened by common discontent, militaries in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso have seized energy, reversing democratic good points that had seen the area shed its tag as Africa’s “coup belt”.
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Reporting by Alberto Dabo in Bissau, Hereward Holland and Bate Felix in Dakar, David Lewis in Nairobi, Edward McAllister in Ouagadougou; Writing by Aaron Ross and Estelle Shirbon; Modifying by Frank Jack Daniel and Bernadette Baum
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