Coup: President of Guinea-Bissau Flees to Dakar

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Umaro Sissoco Embalo, the dethroned president of Guinea-Bissau after a military coup, has fled to Senegal for safety on Thursday, according to the Dakar government.

Embalo, who was earlier detained by the military, was accused of causing an uprising during the election period by the leading opponent. The foreign ministry in Guinea-Bissau confirmed in a statement that Embalo arrived safe and sound in Senegal on a military plane chartered by its government, the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

The coup occurred a day before authorities were due to announce the provisional results of the presidential and parliamentary polls, and opposition candidate Fernando Dias da Costa believed he won the election, but Embalo wanted to grab power.

On Thursday, a new transitional leader, General Horta N’Tam, chief of staff of the army, was appointed to rule Guinea-Bissau for one year.

(AFP)