US Condemns Military Takeover in Guinea

The United States condemned the military takeover of power in Guinea, calling on all parties to respect the constitution and avoid violence.

"Violence and any extra-constitutional measures will only erode Guinea’s prospects for peace, stability, and prosperity," the State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. "We urge all parties to forego violence and any efforts not supported by the Constitution and stand by the rule of law."

"We reiterate our encouragement of a process of national dialogue to address concerns sustainably and transparently to enable a peaceful and democratic way forward for Guinea to realize its full potential," the statement read.

It is worth mentioning that, the unit of elite special forces in Guinea announced the dissolution of the house of representatives and all state institutions and the closure of all land and air borders.

The elite national army unit led by a former French legionnaire, Mamady Doumbouya said “We decided after the arrest of the president, to dissolve the house of representatives and the institutions, in addition to the closure of land and air borders.”

Activists on Twitter circulated pictures that confirmed that it was the moment of the arrest of Alpha Conde, President of Guinea, and footage showed that he was inside a car and surrounded by masked people wearing  Guinea army uniforms.

Meanwhile, local media reported heavy gunfire near the presidential palace in the capital, Conakry.