An attempted coup d’état is underway in the Republic of Guinea. This was reported by various local and international media. In the capital Conakry, the district of the presidential palace, Kaloum, is the scene of clashes with gunshots, in which at least two people were injured. According to the testimonies, it is uncertain whether the president, Alpha Condé, was in the official residence or not. Some sources claim that he is safe and that he is under the protection of the presidential guard, but there is also a video circulating online, on the authenticity of which there is no certainty, in which he appears surrounded by soldiers who could be rebels.
According to “Jeune Afrique”, the coup attempt would be led by elements of the Special Forces Group (GPS), an elite unit of the Army, led by Lieutenant Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, a Malinkè from the Kankan region, former legionary of the French army. The military blocked the roads leading to the city.
Forces loyal to the president would have arrested 25 soldiers who participated in the attempt to overthrow power. The 83-year-old head of state was re-elected late last year for a third term after a controversial reform of the constitution. In 2011 he escaped an attack.
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