Guinea’s President Mamady Doumbouya has removed 173 soldiers from the military for desertion, in a move announced on state television on Monday.
The decree, read by presidential spokesman Gen Amara Camara, did not give details on when or how the alleged desertions happened. The dismissed personnel came from different branches of the armed forces.
One notable name on the list is Col Michel Lamah. He served in the Special Forces Group, the elite unit Doumbouya once commanded, and was photographed riding in the vehicle that transported deposed President Alpha Condé during the September 2021 coup.
Doumbouya, 41, first took power by overthrowing Condé four years ago. At the time he promised not to run for office and to return the country to civilian rule. He later reversed that position and won December’s presidential election with about 87% of the vote.
Analysts see the latest dismissals as part of a broader push by the president to tighten control over the military and remove potential threats to his leadership.
The shake-up comes amid continued restrictions in Guinea. Since 2021, authorities have shut down media outlets, banned protests, and suspended political parties. Two of the country’s largest opposition groups, RPG Arc en Ciel and UFDG, were barred from last year’s election.
Beyond politics, Doumbouya’s government has also been pushing economic changes. Over the last five years it has focused on shifting Guinea, a country rich in bauxite, gold and other minerals, from exporting raw materials to building local processing industries.
