BISSAU – West Africa’s regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said it will deploy troops to Guinea-Bissau to help stabilise the country following a failed coup early this week.
The 15-nation regional bloc, made the decision following a summit in Ghana’s capital Accra Thursday, did not give details on strength and when the troops will be deployed.
ECOWAS deployed a similar mission to the country from 2012 to 2020 after a coup, to help deter the military from intervening in politics and protect political leaders.
Guinea-Bissau’s government said late Wednesday that attackers in the failed coup attempt on Tuesday intended to assassinate the president and were part of a well-funded and tightly planned plot.
It did not say who it believed was behind Tuesday’s attempt, although President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has previously suggested it may be linked to the international drugs trade.
A government said 11 people were killed in the attack, including seven members of the security forces who saved Embalo and his prime minister from death.
Giving new details on the events, it said that unidentified gunmen dressed in civilian clothes burst in on a council of ministers meeting on Tuesday, taking the participants by surprise.
“The aggressors’ mode of action clearly reveals that the purpose of the armed attack was the murder of all the authorities present in the council of ministers room,” the statement said according to Reuters.
“The robustness of the means and ammunition used demonstrates that this was rigorously planned, relying on funding from sectors with the financial capability to mobilize such an amount of material, logistics and human resources.”
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