Heavy gunfire broke out in the heart of Conakry, the capital of Guinea, on Saturday. Security forces cordoned off the area, according to witnesses who informed AFP.
The cause of the prolonged gunfire remains unclear in this West African nation, which has been under the leadership of Colonel Mamady Doumbouya since his coup in September 2021, ending 11 years of civilian rule.
It is yet to be clear if it is another coup d’etat in the West African country.
“There is gunfire from both automatic weapons and weapons of war in Kaloum,” described a witness from the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“The city centre has been sealed since dawn; we can neither enter nor leave,” added a shopkeeper, also requesting anonymity.
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“I wanted to go to the port area where I work but was prevented from leaving (Kaloum), where armoured vehicles have been deployed”.
Many witnesses reported empty roads and the presence of armoured vehicles at various locations.
Kaloum, situated on a peninsula, is home to the presidential residence, several key government and administrative offices, the military headquarters, and the main prison.
Witnesses stated that the gunfire occurred in proximity to the prison and the November 8 bridge, which serves as the sole access route to the city centre.
An airport official revealed that no flights had departed from Conakry’s international airport on Saturday morning due to air traffic personnel being unable to reach the airport from Kaloum.
Guinea has witnessed a series of coups since 2020, joining countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Gabon. Recent unrest in Conakry coincides with the trial of former dictator Moussa Dadis Camara. Camara and 10 other officials face charges related to a 2009 massacre that left 156 dead and 109 women raped.
This landmark trial challenges the decades-long impunity of security forces in Guinea. Since gaining independence from France in 1958, Guinea has endured authoritarian regimes.
In 2010 and 2013, the country held its first free and fair presidential elections, won by Alpha Conde.
