Guinea-Bissau has been thrown into turmoil after military officers announced they had taken ‘total control’ of the country, amid widespread reports that President Umaro Sissoco Embaló has been arrested.
Gunfire erupted around 13:00 GMT in the capital, Bissau, sending hundreds fleeing on foot and in vehicles, according to AFP.
Government sources told the BBC that Embaló was detained shortly after the clashes began.
Soldiers also blocked access to the presidential palace and seized major roads leading to the complex.
The military later read a statement at army headquarters, declaring the suspension of the ongoing electoral process and ordering the closure of all borders.
The intervention comes just three days after legislative and presidential elections marked by controversy, including the disqualification of the main opposition candidate.
Both Embaló and his closest challenger, Fernando Dias, had already claimed victory ahead of the expected announcement of results.
Guinea-Bissau, a nation of under two million people, has long struggled with political instability and has experienced nine coups or attempted coups since 1980.
Embaló himself has survived two previous overthrow attempts, the most recent in December 2023.
This comes on the heels of other anti democratic actions in African countries in recent times.
Recent coups in Africa include a military takeover in Madagascar in October 2025, a series of coups in the Sahel region like Niger and Burkina Faso in 2022 and 2023, and Sudan in 2021.
While some coups have resulted in military rule, others have led to civil war or the installation of a new government.
