Coup reported in Guinea-Bissau; president detained

On Wednesday afternoon, a unit of the Guinea-Bissau army arrested President Umaru Sissoco Embaló in his office inside the presidential palace, effectively ending the rule of a man who had declared himself the winner of a new term just a few hours earlier.

French media also reported that the president of Guinea-Bissau announced—amid gunfire around the presidential palace—that he had been detained in a coup led by the army’s chief of staff.

The president confirmed that no violence was carried out against him during this coup, which he claimed had been orchestrated by the chief of staff.

Meanwhile, Jeune Afrique reported that the military in this West African country—which had held a tense presidential election on Sunday—has carried out a coup.

According to the French magazine, which specializes in African affairs, General Biague Nantam, Chief of the Armed Forces, General Mamadou Touré, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Boche Candé, Minister of the Interior, were later arrested.

The coup in Guinea-Bissau took place after the announcement of preliminary results of the presidential election, in which the president declared that he had secured 65% of the vote.