A group of army officers said they had seized power in coup-prone Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday, on the eve of the expected announcement of results from a hotly contested presidential election.
In a statement read on state television, the army officers said they had deposed President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, suspended the electoral process, shut borders and would enforce a curfew.
They said they had formed “The High Military Command for the Restoration of Order” and would be in charge of the West African nation until further notice.
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Shortly before the announcement, gunfire rang out near the electoral commission headquarters, presidential palace and interior ministry, witnesses said. It lasted for about an hour but appeared to have stopped by 2pm, a Reuters journalist said.
There was no word yet of any casualties.
The electoral commission had been due on Thursday to announce provisional results from Sunday’s election in which Embalo faced off against top challenger Fernando Dias.
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