But the situation remained unclear as Conde's government released a rival statement saying that an attack on the presidential palace by special forces had been "repulsed." Another video sent to AFP by the putschists showed a rumpled-looking Conde sitting on a sofa, surrounded by troops. On Sunday, the head of Guinea's military special forces Lieutenant-Colonel Mamady Doumbouya appeared on public television, draped in the national flag, and cited government "mismanagement" as a reason behind his actions. The apparent coup comes amid a long period of political tension in Guinea, first spurred by Conde's highly contested bid for a third presidential term last year. Violent electionsThe most recent presidential poll in the nation of some 13 million people, in October 2020, was violently disputed and also marred by accusations of electoral fraud.

Source: Dhaka Tribune September 05, 2021 15:22 UTC