Battle for control of barracks in Bissau
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.THE Senegalese army, fighting in support of Guinea-Bissau's president, insisted yesterday it had wrested control of a key military barracks in the capital Bissau from rebellious troops.
The Bra barracks had been a stronghold of renegade soldiers led by the former armed forces chief of staff Ansumane Mane, who launched an attempted coup against the government of President Joao Bernardo Vieira a week ago.
"Everything inside the camp, including the ammunition dump, is under our control," the Senegalese army spokesman Colonel Meissa said yesterday, a day after his army said it had seized the complex.
Tamba said there had been "some residual resistance" at the barracks and acknowledged that artillery fire from the rebels was landing within the large military compound. The Portuguese news agency Lusa quoted the rebel spokesman Major Gomes Fernandes on Sunday as calling the Senegalese claim "pure propaganda".
Fighting resumed in the capital Bissau on Sunday after a lull overnight, Lusa said. Over 3,000 people have been evacuated from Bissau since the revolt began on 7 June and diplomats say between 2,000 and 2,500 foreigners remain in the country.
A Senegalese boat was in Bissau port on Sunday, ready to evacuate some of them during a lull in the fighting.
"There was very fierce fighting this morning around the Bra barracks," the French ambassador to Guinea-Bissau Francois Chappellet said. "Now that it's quiet, I think it will be possible to evacuate some foreigners in the Senegalese ship," he added.
Senegal closed its border with Guinea-Bissau as soon as the revolt broke out but let in refugees on humanitarian grounds last week. An official in the north of Guinea said that around 1,400 people had sought refuge there since Friday.
About 200 people drowned on Friday as they tried to flee the mainland for the Bijagos Islands, part of Guinea-Bissau, Lusa reported. It gave no further details.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments