Guinea: Heavy gunfiring in capital, ex-dictator Dadis Camara taken away from prison

Former Guinean dictator Moussa Dadis Camara was on Saturday (Nov 4) taken away from prison by a heavily armed commando during an operation. The incident sparked heavy fire in the centre of the Guinean capital Conakry, with military vehicles and special forces seen roaming the streets.

"I learned that there was an escape from the civil prison of Conakry, which concerned my client Moussa Dadis Camara," his lawyer Jocamey Haba told AFP, raising the possibility that the ex-leader was taken against his will.

Camara has been on trial since last year, accused of orchestrating a stadium massacre and mass rape byGuinean security forces in which 150 people were killed during a pro-democracy rally on Sep28, 2009.

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Local residents told news agencies that the sound of gunfire rattled the administrative centre, the Kaloum peninsula. The witnesses said that the security forces blocked off the area.

While speaking on the condition of anonymity, a witness from the area told AFP: "There is gunfire from both automatic and weapons of war in Kaloum."

Kaloum is the political and administrative heart of the seaside city. It is the same place, where the presidential palace and other official administrative buildings are present. It is also where the former head of the 2008 military junta, Moussa Dadis Camara, is imprisoned along with other soldiers.

A shopkeeper, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Paris-based news agency: "The city centre has been sealed since dawn, we can neither enter nor leave."

"I wanted to go to the port area where I work but was prevented from leaving (Kaloum), where armoured vehicles have been deployed," he added.

As per Reuters, the witnesses said that the shots were first heard around 4am local time on Saturday. After that, the security was tightened on the streets of Conakry.

Aminata Soumah, a Kaloum resident, told Reuters by telephone: "There was a lot of shooting at night around 4am and again this morning we are hearing shots."

Guinea is governed by military leader Mamady Doumbouya, who took power in a coup in 2021 - one of eight in West and Central Africa in the last three years.

Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Gabon are also run by military officers.

(With inputs from agencies)