Guinea-Bissau’s military has announced that it has taken control of the country following the arrest of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló on Wednesday afternoon.
In a national broadcast, a group of senior military officers led by General Denis N’Canha declared that they had assumed “total control” of the state. N’Canha said the “High Military Command for the Restoration of Order,” comprising all branches of the armed forces, would oversee the country’s leadership “until further notice.”
Earlier in the day, President Embaló and several members of his cabinet were arrested as sustained gunfire erupted around the presidential palace in Bissau.
Among those detained were the armed forces’ chief of staff, General Biaguê Na Ntan, his deputy General Mamadou Touré, and the interior minister Botché Candé.
The development comes as citizens await official results from Sunday’s general election. Both President Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias have claimed victory, heightening political tension in the country.
The situation in Bissau remains fluid, with no immediate clarity on whether the military intends to install an interim authority or outline a transition timetable.