Guinea-Bissau President Declares Recent Shootout an Attempted Coup

Dismissed National Guard Head Faces Severe Consequences; ECOWAS Expresses Deep Concern

Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has declared a recent shootout in the capital as an attempted coup, following a meeting with security forces.
The incident involved members of the National Guard releasing two ministers detained over alleged corruption, leading to a shootout with the Presidential Palace Battalion.
Victor Tchongo, the head of the National Guard, has been dismissed and is expected to face severe consequences for the attempted coup.
The incident has heightened tensions in the region, which has seen eight military takeovers since 2020.
West Africa's regional economic bloc of ECOWAS has expressed deep concern over the incident and full solidarity with the people and constitutional authority of Guinea-Bissau.