UN condemns coup in Guinea

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres in a tweet on Sunday condemned the overthrow of the government of Guinea by force, and called for the immediate release of its president.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tweeted: "I am personally following the situation in Guinea very closely. I strongly condemn the overthrow of the government by the force of gun, and call for the immediate release of President Alpha Condé".

President Alpha Condé was on Sunday toppled from power by a group known as the Special Forces, a special batch of the Guinean army.

A statement from the Special Forces Group reads: "This Sunday, September 05, 2021, the Guinean army through the National Committee for Rally and Development announced the arrest of dictator Alpha Condé".

The AU in a statement issued late on Sunday also "condemn any seizure of power by force and demand the immediate release of President Alpha Conde”.

Accordingly, the army says that arrangements will be made to ensure the "safety of peaceful citizens as well as their properties", while "units of the interior" are asked to keep calm and avoid movements towards the capital Conakry.

However, the army in charge stated "we want to reassure the national and international community that the physical and moral integrity of the former president is not engaged. We have taken all measures to ensure that he has access to healthcare and that he is also in contact with his doctors, everything will be fine".

Following the coup, the Guinean army on Sunday imposed a curfew from 8 pm to 6 am.

According to local media in Conakry quoting the army, the National Rally and Development Committee has replaced former ministers, and governors with general secretaries as well as regional and unit commanders of the military.