Military officers in Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday declared that they had assumed “total control” of the country, suspending the ongoing electoral process and ordering the closure of all borders, three days after the nation held presidential and legislative elections.
The announcement came hours after gunfire erupted near the presidential palace in Bissau, prompting soldiers in uniform to seize control of the main road leading to the complex. Witnesses reported panic as residents fled the area amid the brief exchange of shots.
According to AFP journalists at the scene, the declaration was made in a formal statement read by military personnel at the army headquarters in the capital.
The development marks the latest episode of instability in the coup-prone West African nation, where political tensions have escalated following Sunday’s elections.
More details are expected as the situation unfolds.
