The coup plotters have announced a national committee for assembly and development and say the constitution will be rewritten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doumbouya also told French media “we are holding all of Conakry,” and that he had the support of all the defence and security forces. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

News of the coup sparked celebrations in some parts of the capital, where hundreds of people applauded the soldiers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We are proud of the special forces,” said one demonstrator who requested anonymity. “Death to the torturers and to the murderers of our youth”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Violent elections –<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The most recent presidential poll in Guinea, in October 2020, was marred by violence and accusations of electoral fraud.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conde won a controversial third term, but only after pushing through a new constitution in March 2020 allowing him to sidestep the country’s two-term limit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dozens of people were killed during demonstrations against a third term for Conde, often in clashes with security forces. Hundreds more were arrested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conde was proclaimed president on November 7 last year — despite his main challenger Cellou Dalein Diallo and other opposition figures denouncing the election as a sham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The government cracked down, arresting several prominent opposition members for their alleged role in abetting electoral violence in the country. 

He survived an assassination attempt in 2011. In recent years however, he has been accused of drifting into authoritarianism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Guinean special forces seized power in a coup on Sunday, arresting the president and imposing an indefinite curfew in the poor west African country.  “We have decided, after having taken the president, to dissolve the constitution,” said a uniformed officer flanked by soldiers toting assault rifles in a video sent to AFP. The officer also said that Guinea’s land and air borders had been shut and the government dissolved. An earlier video sent to AFP by the putschists showed President Alpha Conde sitting on a sofa surrounded by troops. The 83-year-old leader refused to answer a question from one soldier […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1537,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[544,545],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-politics"],"yoast_head":"\n