On Friday, December 1, 2023, the Guinea-Bissau army officially declared the apprehension of the leader of the security forces unit responsible for the overnight clashes in the capital, asserting that the situation is now under control.
Throughout the night and into Friday morning, Bissau experienced gunfire during confrontations between members of the National Guard and the Presidential Guard special forces.
The gunfire incidents were triggered by the release of two government officials by national guard soldiers, who had been interrogated by the police on Thursday. The two individuals had been summoned by the judiciary on the same day and subsequently taken into custody.
Military intelligence reported that the police interrogated the detained individuals for several hours regarding the withdrawal of $10 million from state coffers.
Guinea-Bissau, a small West African nation, has grappled with political instability since 1974, witnessing four coups and numerous attempted coups.
In September, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo appointed two generals, Tomas Djassi and Horta Inta, to head the presidential security and chief of staff, respectively.
The reinforcement of presidential security occurs against the backdrop of increasing coups or attempted coups in West Africa, including incidents in Gabon, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and, most recently, Sierra Leone last week.
