Gunshots heard near state buildings as incumbent president and main rival claim victory in first round of elections
Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau have announced they were taking “total control” of the west African country, three days after elections in which the two main presidential contenders claimed to have won.
Military officers said they were suspending Guinea-Bissau’s electoral process and closing its borders, in a statement read out at the army’s headquarters in the capital Bissau and broadcast on state TV. They said they had formed “the high military command for the restoration of order”, which would rule the country until further notice.
Earlier on Wednesday, shots were heard near the election commission headquarters, presidential palace and interior ministry, although it was not clear who was responsible.
The military takeover is the latest in a string of coups and attempted coups in Guinea-Bissau since it gained independence from Portugal in 1974. The average yearly income in the country of 2.2 million people was just $963 (£728) in 2024, according to the World Bank.
