Guinea-Bissau’s government on Wednesday said a major investigation has been launched to probe a failed attempt to oust President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, who survived a gun attack on Tuesday, reported Al Jazeera.
“The government mourns … the loss of 11 valiant men during the attack,” the West African country’s tourism minister and government spokesman Fernando Vaz said on Wednesday. “Eleven victims – soldiers and paramilitaries, four civilians including a top agriculture ministry official and his driver.”
Heavily armed men surrounded government buildings in the capital Bissau where President Embalo and his prime minister were attending a cabinet meeting.
The 49-year-old president confirmed that he had been unharmed in the firing, which he described as a plot to wipe out Guinea-Bissau’s government. He added that many people had been killed or injured.
“Our republican defence and security forces were able to stop this evil,” Embalo said. “It wasn’t just a coup. It was an attempt to kill the president, the prime minister, and all the cabinet.”
It remains unclear who was behind the assault, though the president said it also has to do with the government’s fight against narco-trafficking. He said the attackers were an isolated group, and that they were linked to drugs in the country.
On Wednesday, African Union (AU) Commission chief, Moussa Faki Mahamat expressed deep concern over the coup attempt in Guinea-Bissau.
In a statement, the AU said that Mr. Mahamat has appealed to Guinea-Bissau’s military to return to their barracks without delay and to ensure the physical integrity of President Embalo and other members of his Government, and to immediately release those among them in detention.
The Economic Community of West African States also condemned the incident and appealed to soldiers to return to their barracks. The United Nations said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the attempted coup.
