On Sunday morning, heavy gunfire broke out near the presidential palace and went on for hours, sparking fears in a nation that already has seen multiple coups and presidential assassination attempts. Observers, though say the tensions between GuineaвЂ™s president and the army colonel stemmed from a recent proposal to cut some military salaries. вЂњIf you see the state of our roads, if you see the state of our hospitals, you realize that after 72 years, itвЂ™s time to wake up,вЂќ he said. The army colonel said he was acting in the best interests of the nation, citing a lack of economic progress by leaders since the country gained independence from France in 1958. SundayвЂ™s dramatic developments underscored how dissent had mounted within the military as well.Дoumbouya, who had been the commander of the armyвЂ™s special forces unit, called on other soldiers вЂњto put themselves on the side of the peopleвЂќ and stay in their barracks.

When the time comes, we will issue a statement.вЂќД¬onde, in power for more than a decade, had seen his popularity plummet since he sought a third term last year, saying that term limits did not apply to him. But they gave no timeline for releasing him other than to do say: вЂњEverything will be fine. The junta later released a statement saying Conde was in contact with his doctors. The US State Department warned against violence and urged authorities in Guinea to avoid вЂњextra-constitutionalвЂќ actions that вЂњwill only erode GuineaвЂ™s prospects for peace, stability, and prosperity.вЂќ Spokesman Ned Price added in a statement that the juntaвЂ™s вЂњactions could limit the ability of the United States and GuineaвЂ™s other international partners to support the country.вЂќД¬ondeвЂ™s whereabouts had been unknown for hours after the intense fighting Sunday in downtown Conakry until a video emerged showing the 83-year-old leader tired and disheveled in military custody. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tweeted that he strongly condemned вЂњany takeover of the government by force of the gun.вЂќ The West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS quickly condemned the developments, threatening sanctions if Conde was not immediately released. The junta later announced plans to replace GuineaвЂ™s governors with regional commanders at an event on Monday and warned: вЂњAny refusal to appear will be considered rebellionвЂќ against the countryвЂ™s new military leaders. It was not immediately known, though, how much support Doumbouya had within the military or whether other soldiers loyal to the president of more than a decade might attempt to wrest back control. We will entrust it to the people,вЂќ said Doumbouya, draped in a Guinean flag with about a half dozen other soldiers flanked at his side. вЂњWe will no longer entrust politics to one man. Mamadi Doumbouya, who told Guineans: вЂњThe duty of a soldier is to save the country.вЂќ The countryвЂ™s borders were closed and its constitution was declared invalid in the announcement read aloud on state television by army Col. Mutinous soldiers in the West African nation of Guinea detained President Alpha Conde on Sunday after hours of heavy gunfire rang out near the presidential palace in the capital, then announced on state television that the government had been dissolved in an apparent coup dвЂ™etat.

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