By CGTN Africa
Gunfire was heard in the urban commune of Kaloum, downtown Conakry, in Guinea on Sunday morning and armed troops were seen on the streets, multiple media outlets reported, citing witnesses.
The shots came from the military garrison known as “Camp Almamy Samory Toure,” which houses the defense ministry and the national army staff, one witness told Xinhua.
The Presidential Palace and several ministerial departments are located in Kaloum.
A military source revealed to Reuters that the gunfire involved angry members of the special forces, an elite army corps. The source did not say what caused the anger.
The local Jeune Afrique magazine, citing sources, called it an attempted coup organized by the special task forces led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya.
Unauthenticated videos shared on social media showed Guinea’s President Alpha Conde being detained by the special forces on Sunday, hours after reports of gunfire in the capital.
AFP news agency said it received a video from the rebels in which they said they had captured Conde and dissolved the government.
But the situation on the ground remained unclear as Conde’s government also released a statement saying that an attack on the presidential palace by special forces had been “repelled.”
A senior government official previously told Reuters that Conde was unharmed but gave no further details.
Earlier, Russian media Sputnik said forces loyal to the president have detained 25 soldiers who participated in the military coup attempt, citing a local source.
Meanwhile, Reuters has reported two civilians are injured with gunshot wounds and there are also unconfirmed reports that three soldiers have been killed.
(With input from agencies)
