Coup in Guinea-Bissau: president arrested

Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Sissoco Embaló told publication Jeune Afrique that he was arrested this Wednesday, November 26, at around 1pm while he was in his office at the presidential palace, Report informs.

The presidential election took place last Sunday, and the outgoing president said he had won with 65% of the vote, by his own count.

Also arrested were the armed forces" chief of staff, General Biaguê Na Ntan; the deputy chief of staff, General Mamadou Touré; and the interior minister, Botché Candé.

According to the outgoing president, no force was used against him during what he calls a "coup d"état", which he says was led by the army chief of staff.

Journalists covering the election described a rapidly deteriorating security situation in the capital.

"Gunfire at the National Electoral Commission (CNE) headquarters and areas around," says one reporter whose team had been monitoring the vote count. "We are hidden in the office of the CNE communication officer."

The camp of incumbent President Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias de Costa have each claimed first-round victory in Guinea-Bissau"s November 23 presidential election, even though the official provisional results are not due until Thursday November 27.