Today, Sunday, the Guinean special forces arrested President Alpha Conde and dissolved state institutions, while the Defense Ministry confirmed that the presidential guard repelled an attack by special forces on the Republican Guard, the French press agency reported.
The commander of the Special Forces of Guinea Conakry, Colonel Mamady Domboya, announced, in a clip that spread on the social media platforms, the dismissal of President Alpha Conde.
In a statement to the citizens, he said, "We have decided to dissolve the institutions and the government and close the land and air borders, and we turn to those who are interested to complete their work normally."
The putschists broadcast a video of arrested President Alpha Conde, sitting on a sofa, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, and refusing to answer when asked if he was mistreated.
#BREAKING: Guinea's President, Mr Alpha Conde has been detained by the coup plotters in #Guinea.
#Coup #GuineaCoup #AlphaConde pic.twitter.com/M5cpyJiEkp
— Hamza Azhar Salam (@HamzaAzhrSalam) September 5, 2021
For its part, the Ministry of Defense said - in a statement - that "the rebels raised terror" in Conakry before seizing the presidential palace, but "the presidential guard, backed by the defense and security forces, and loyalist and republican forces, contained the threat and repelled the group of aggressors."
Heavy gunfire resounded in the center of the Guinean capital on Sunday morning, and a large number of soldiers were seen in the streets.
Reuters news agency quoted a military source as saying that the only bridge linking the mainland with the Kalom district, which includes most of the ministries and the presidential palace, was closed, and many soldiers were stationed around the palace, some of them heavily armed.
A senior government official said Sunday morning that President Alpha Conde was unharmed, but did not give any further details.
A witness told Reuters he saw a civilian with gunshot wounds.