Military detains Guinea-Conakry president in coup d'état

The president of Guinea-Conakry, Alpha Condé, was arrested on Sunday by members of the army's Special Forces Group, said the commander of this elite corps, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya.

In an coup d'état, the colonel also announced on Sunday, in a video posted on social networks and reported in the local media, that the military had agreed to "dissolve the constitution in force" and the government.

"After taking the president, who is currently with us, we have decided to dissolve the government, dissolve the constitution in force, dissolve the institutions and close the land and air borders," Doumbouya said.

The colonel justified the decision by the "socio-political and economic situation of the country" and the "dysfunction of the republican institutions", among other reasons.

"We call on our brothers in arms to unite in order to satisfy the legitimate aspirations of the Guinean people," he said.

In photographs and videos released by local media, Condé, 83, appears in jeans and a patterned shirt, sitting on a sofa with a straight face and surrounded by soldiers armed with rifles in what appears to be the presidential palace in Conakry.

The situation, however, is confusing because the Ministry of Defence had assured in a statement that "the Presidential Guard, supported by loyalist and republican defence and security forces, contained the threat and repelled the group of attackers".

"Security and search operations are continuing to restore order and peace," said the official statement, which did not say anything about the president's fate.

The apparent coup attempt came after heavy gunfire was heard early in the morning in the centre of the capital and army soldiers took up positions in the area.

Automatic weapons fire was heard in Kaloum, Conakry's commercial and administrative district where the presidential palace and numerous ministries are located.

Streets in the area were deserted as gunfire continued and, according to witnesses, armoured vehicles were deployed and appeared to be heading towards the presidential palace.

"The president is safe," a government source told local media Guinée 7, although images of Condé in military custody seem to contradict this statement.

Condé has led the West African country since December 2010.

On 18 October, Guinea-Conakry held a presidential election in which Condé ran for a controversial third term, not allowed in principle by the constitution, after holding a referendum to change the constitution, which was approved with 91.5% of votes in favour.

In the aftermath of the violence triggered by the elections, some 30 people were killed, according to the opposition, after the defence and security forces fired live ammunition at bystanders and demonstrators.

In addition, 325 people were arrested up to 31 October, according to the prosecutor of the Conakry Court of Appeal, but Amnesty International claims that more were arrested after that date, including several members of opposition parties.