2023-12-01 12:14:25
The Guinea-Bissau general staff said Friday it was detaining the head of the security forces unit involved in a night of clashes in the capital, and assured that the army was in control of the situation.
“Colonel (Victor) Tchongo is in our hands. The situation is completely under control”said Captain Jorgito Biague, a spokesman for the military headquarters of this small, poor, politically unstable West African country.
Guinea-Bissau awaiting legislative results
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Residents said they were fleeing the south of the city for the north after a night of fear. “My children and I did not sleep a wink because of the shooting. The children are afraid and cling to me every time the weapons crackle”said a teacher reached by telephone and keeping her identity silent for her safety, while the bursts continued to ring out.
The Minister of the Economy and the Secretary of State for the Public Treasury were summoned by the courts on Thursday morning, then placed in police custody. They were questioned for several hours by the judicial police about the withdrawal of ten million dollars from state coffers, according to the same sources.
Mr. Seidi, questioned on Monday about this withdrawal by deputies during a session at the National Assembly, affirmed that it was legal and intended to support the national private sector.
Heavy fire
Army and intelligence sources said special forces intervened against the National Guard after several failed mediation attempts. Elements of the Support Force for the Stabilization of Guinea-Bissau, deployed in this country by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), were seen Friday morning patrolling the streets.
These events occur while President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, elected in December 2019 for five years, is in Dubai to attend the 28th United Nations climate conference (COP28). A small, poor country in West Africa, Guinea-Bissau suffers from chronic political instability and has been the victim of a string of coups since its independence from Portugal in 1974, the last in February 2022.
The legislative elections of June 2023 gave an absolute majority to the Pai-Terra Ranka opposition coalition, imposing cohabitation on President Embalo, whose political family is not represented within the government.
In September, President Embalo appointed two generals, Tomas Djassi and Horta Inta, respectively head of presidential security and chief of the president’s personal staff. These two positions, provided for in the official organization chart, have not been filled for decades. This strengthening of presidential security came as coups or attempts are increasing in West Africa, in Gabon, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and, again this week, in Sierra Leone ..
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