GUINEA-BISSAU’s President Umaro Sissoco Embalo on Saturday said this week’s deadly violence involving members of the National Guard was an “attempted coup” as the army ordered them back to barracks.
The unrest between members of the National Guard and special forces of the presidential guard on Thursday night in the capital Bissau left at least two people dead.
Embalo, who was in Dubai attending the COP28 climate conference, arrived in Bissau on Saturday and said an “attempted coup d’etat” had prevented him from returning.
“I must tell you this act will have serious consequences,” he added.
Embalo said the coup attempt was prepared before celebrations on November 16 commemorating the anniversary of the armed forces.
Since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974, the small West African nation has seen a series of coups and coup attempts.
Embalo, who was elected to a five-year term in December 2019, survived a failed overthrow in February 2022.
A military official, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the situation, said six soldiers were injured in the fighting and evacuated to neighbouring Senegal.
Calm had returned by noon on Friday to the small nation with a history of instability, following the announcement that the army had captured Colonel Victor Tchongo, commander of the National Guard.
On Saturday the security presence in Bissau was reduced, but soldiers were still visible around certain strategic buildings such as the presidential palace, the judicial police headquarters and some ministries.
Some National Guard officers and soldiers fled into the interior of the country, the army said in a statement Saturday, without specifying numbers.
“The General Staff of the armed forces hereby informs them that they must return to their place of assignment,” the statement continued.
