"I can assure you that the events of December 1, 2023 are another coup attempt and those behind it will have to face serious consequences," President Embalo told reporters in Guinea-Bissau's capital Bissau on December 2 after returning from Dubai, where he attended the United Nations COP28 climate conference.
He said the failed "coup" prevented him from returning home sooner, according to AFP.
President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea-Bissau
Clashes between National Guard and presidential special forces broke out in Bissau on the evening of November 30, according to AFP. Unrest continued on December 1 after the National Guard released an opposition minister who had been detained in a corruption investigation. At least two people were killed in the clashes.
In a statement on December 1, the Guinea-Bissau army said order had been restored that afternoon, after announcing the arrest of Colonel Victor Tchongo, commander of the National Guard.
On December 2, tensions in Bissau eased, but soldiers remained present around several strategic buildings such as the presidential palace, the judicial police headquarters and several ministries.
Six soldiers were injured in the clashes and were taken to neighbouring Senegal, an unnamed military official said.
Guinea-Bissau, a small West African nation, has seen frequent coups and unrest since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974. Most recently, at least six people were killed in an attempt to overthrow Mr Embalo in February 2022.
"On February 1, 2022, we witnessed a similar scenario. We still need to end these upheavals in Guinea-Bissau once and for all," Mr. Embalo told reporters on December 2.
Coups have been a regular occurrence in West Africa in recent years. Mali and Burkina Faso, two West African countries that have been under military rule following coups in 2020 and 2022, respectively, were quick to show support for the military leaders in neighboring Niger when they overthrew democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum in July.
The three countries have strengthened their post-coup relations, moving towards forming a "confederation" with the ultimate goal of coming together in a single federal state.
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