‘Military coup looms as Bissau falls’

“I am at the office and I am prevented from leaving,” said the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, on Thursday.

“The downtown area has been sealed off by the military … I can also tell you that all Guinea-Bissau radio has been taken of the air since 8 p.m. local time and the whereabouts of the prime minister and interim president are unknown.”

Heavy weapons fire was reported across the capital of Bissau.

“There is shooting, sporadic machine gun fire and there have been three loud bangs … We hear it is coming from near [Prime Minister] Carlos Gomes Junior’s house,” the diplomat said.

The reason behind the military’s action is at this point in time unknown.
The Economic community of West African States (ECOWAS) meanwhile, released a statement saying it “formally condemns any attempt at a coup d’état.”

The West African country, one of the poorest in the world, has a history of coups and uprisings since it declared independence from Portugal in 1974.

PM/MA

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