The commander of Guinea’s military was injured when shots were fired Thursday evening in the capital city of Conakry. Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, who seized power in a bloodless coup last year, was at a base camp when gunfire erupted. A medical plane arrived shortly after to transport the wounded leader to Dakar, Senegal. While the extent of his injuries has not yet been revealed, Minister of Communications Idrissa Cherif has stated that Camara is in stable condition and was optimistic about a rapid recovery.
Capt. Camara has identified Lieutenant Aboubacar “Toumba” Diakite, one of his closest assistants, as having planned the violent outburst. Reports indicate that Lt. Diakite has been arrested and Mr. Cherif “has warned that those behind the attack would face punishment.”
The shooting is the latest in a series of thorns in the side of the government. Since September, when more than 150 people were killed during an opposition party protest—allegedly by military forces dispatched to quell the uprising—the African state has seen increasing activism against Camara’s junta. The protest was sparked by the military chief’s implications that he intended to announce his candidacy in the next presidential election. Camara came to power riding a wave of overwhelming public support for his stated objectives, namely the return of power to the people; however, his administration has since been marred by heavy disapproval after it began to become clear that his promises had been empty.
Read more at the BBC.
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