Guinea-Bissau military appoints general as transition president after coup

"The military in Guinea-Bissau has appointed a general as the country's new leader for one year, a day after staging a coup to seize power and arresting the president of the West African nation as contentious election results were imminent. I have just been sworn in to lead the High Command, General Horta Nta Na Man declared after taking the oath of office in a ceremony at the military's headquarters on Thursday, AFP journalists observed. Dozens of heavily armed soldiers were deployed at the scene."

"On Wednesday, a day after two leading candidates in a tightly contested presidential election each declared victory, a group of military officers claimed total control of the country. Calling themselves the High Military Command for the Restoration of Order, the officers read out a statement on television, declaring that they had ordered the immediate suspension of the electoral process until further notice. They ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embalo in the latest episode of unrest in the coup-prone country."

"The capital, Bissau, was mostly quiet on Thursday, with soldiers patrolling the streets and many residents staying indoors even after the overnight curfew was lifted. Businesses and banks were closed. The military had also ordered the closure of all land, air and sea borders. The takeover announcment came shortly after sustained gunfire was heard near the election commission's headquarters, the presidential palace and the Ministry of the Interior in the capital, Bissau on Wednesday."

Military officers in Guinea-Bissau seized power following a disputed presidential vote, arresting President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and appointing General Horta Nta Na Man as leader for one year. The officers, calling themselves the High Military Command for the Restoration of Order, announced the immediate suspension of the electoral process and read the statement on television. Provisional results were expected in the race between Embalo and challenger Fernando Dias as gunfire erupted near key government sites. The capital, Bissau, remained largely quiet with soldiers patrolling, businesses and banks closed, a curfew, and all land, air and sea borders ordered shut.

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