Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has dismissed reports of a coup attempt in neighboring Guinea-Bissau, calling the claims a “fabrication.”
Sonko accused President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of using the military to cling to power after losing the first round of elections. On Thursday, Guinea-Bissau’s armed forces installed Major-General Horta Inta-a as transitional president, sidelining civilian authorities before official results from the weekend’s presidential and legislative polls could be announced.
“What happened in Guinea-Bissau was a sham. We want the electoral process to continue. The commission must be allowed to declare the winner,” Sonko told lawmakers during a parliamentary session.
Embalo has since arrived in Senegal after being released by military forces. Reports allege he ordered security units to detain opposition leaders and create unrest to justify declaring a state of emergency.
The crisis has sparked fears of regional instability, with the West African bloc ECOWAS closely monitoring developments.
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