Sustained Heavy Gunfire Heard Near Presidential Palace in Guinea-Bissau

Sustained gunfire was heard on Tuesday near the seat of government in the coup-prone West African state of Guinea-Bissau.

Heavily-armed men surrounded the Palace of Government, where President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and Prime Minister Nuno Gomes Nabiam were believed to have gone to attend a cabinet meeting.

People were seen fleeing the area, the local markets were closed and banks shut their doors, while military vehicles laden with troops drove through the streets.

Meanwhile, appearing in a video posted on the Presidency’s Social Media Pagehours after the gunfire was heard, Embalo said some of the people involved had been arrested.