Guinea's Special Forces Overthrow President Alpha Conde

A command from the Guinea-Conakry's Special Forces led by Lieutenant Colonel Mamady Doumbouya staged a coup against President Alpha Conde early this Sunday.

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After the arrest of Conde at the presidential palace, Doumbouya announced the suspension of the Constitution, the closure of the land and air borders, and the dissolution of the State's institutions. 

Since 08:00 AM weapons fire has been heard in Kaloum and other districts of Conakry, where Doumbouya called on the Army to stay at the barracks. 

Conde has been President since 2010. Following controversial constitutional reforms to allow his re-election, he was elected for a third term in October last year.

The meme reads, "Alpha Conde's supporters in confinement"

Doumbouya is a seasoned military man who received training in Israel, Senegal, Liberia, and France, after which he was stationed in Afghanistan, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, and the Central African Republic. 

In 2018, the Ministry of Defense ordered him to create a Special Forces group within the Guinean Army, which he has been leading since then.

This Sunday's military rebellion is not the first suffered by Conde. In 2011, he survived a coup attempt when a heavily armed commando besieged the presidential palace to demand his resignation.