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Guinea-Bissau Detains Senior Officers Over Alleged Coup Plot Before Election Campaign

The military says the alleged plot was foiled on the cusp of the election campaign, highlighting tensions over President Umaro Sissoco Embaló’s contested mandate.

Overview

  • Deputy chief of staff Mamadou Kourouma announced the arrests of several senior army officers this week on accusations of trying to subvert the constitutional order.
  • Those detained include Brig. Gen. Dahaba (Daba) Na Walna and Commanders Domingos Nhanke and Mario Midana, who were taken from their homes in Bissau on Thursday.
  • The armed forces said Na Walna, the director of a military training school, allegedly led the effort with support from other senior officers.
  • Officials have not disclosed how many suspects are in custody, what charges they may face, or the judicial process ahead, noting some were reported missing since Monday.
  • The announcement comes just before campaigning for late-November elections, as the opposition challenges Embaló’s mandate and the Supreme Court has ruled his term ends on Sept. 4.