Roundup: Guinea-Bissau president reportedly killed after army chief slain
DAKAR, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Guinea-Bissau President Joao Bernardo Vieira was reportedly killed by soldiers early Monday after a bomb attack in which the country's military chief was slain, according to reports from the tiny West African country of 1.5 million population.
The killing, however, was not confirmed by the government as of9: 00 a.m. (0900GMT).
On an earlier occasion, Zamura Induta, chief of external relations of the army, told a press conference that President Vieira had been killed in a back-to-back attack.
Overnight fighting rattled through the capital Bissau, hours after the armed forces chief of staff, Batista Tagme Na Wai, was killed in an explosion that destroyed part of the military headquarters.
Gunfire and blasts were heard in the city not far from the damaged building, reports said.
Na Wai happened to be in his office when the attack occurred at20:00 local time (2000 GMT), which also wounded several other military officers.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for the bombing, although rival soldiers fought around the damaged building afterwards.
The slain army chief had previously filed a complaint against Interior Minister Cipriano Cassama, accusing him of ordering the presidential guard to shoot at him.
In his complaint, Na Wai said "elements, who supported President Joao Bernado Vieira during the 1998-1999 civil war, were recently integrated into the presidential guard," who opened fire at him "on Jan. 4, around midnight, under the orders of the Minister of Interior Administration, Cipriano Cassama."
A spokesman for the presidential guard said after the shooting incident that the rifle of a guard went off when General Na Wai's escort were passing by, describing it as an accident rather than any attempt to assassinate him.
Na Wai, a critic of President Vieira's policy, including some of his appointments, had served in a military junta that toppled Vierira in the 1998-1999 civil war after his rule of 19 years. Vierira returned to power in the 2005 the presidential election.
The latest fighting is a continuation of instability since the Nov. 16 legislative election.
A group of renegade soldiers launched a pre-dawn attack on the Presidential Palace two days after the unveiling of the provisional results of the election.
The frequent coup attempts highlight the need to reform the country's over-staffed military.
With the help of the international community, Guinea-Bissau unveiled a reform program last year, under which the armed forces are to be reduced from at least 7,000 troops to 2,000 or 2,500 between 2008 and 2011.
Joseph Motaboba, a Burundi diplomat representing UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, arrived in Guinea-Bissau in mid-February as the fifth special envoy in the country. Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior said the presence of the new UN special envoy would facilitate Guinea- Bissau's defense reform and post-election security.
Guinea-Bissau has long suffered instability since it independence from Portugal in 1974. The international community placed high hope on last year's election, seeing it as an opportunity to lead the country out of the shadow of coups. The twin killings, however, have dealt a heavy blow to the hope of stability.
President Vieira nominated a 32-member government under Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior in January. The government has yet to make an official statement on the latest killings.
DAKAR, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Guinea-Bissau President Joao Bernardo Vieira was reportedly killed by soldiers early Monday after a bomb attack in which the country's military chief was slain, according to reports from the tiny West African country of 1.5 million population.
The killing, however, was not confirmed by the government as of9: 00 a.m. (0900GMT).
On an earlier occasion, Zamura Induta, chief of external relations of the army, told a press conference that President Vieira had been killed in a back-to-back attack.
Overnight fighting rattled through the capital Bissau, hours after the armed forces chief of staff, Batista Tagme Na Wai, was killed in an explosion that destroyed part of the military headquarters.
Gunfire and blasts were heard in the city not far from the damaged building, reports said.
Na Wai happened to be in his office when the attack occurred at20:00 local time (2000 GMT), which also wounded several other military officers.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for the bombing, although rival soldiers fought around the damaged building afterwards.
The slain army chief had previously filed a complaint against Interior Minister Cipriano Cassama, accusing him of ordering the presidential guard to shoot at him.
In his complaint, Na Wai said "elements, who supported President Joao Bernado Vieira during the 1998-1999 civil war, were recently integrated into the presidential guard," who opened fire at him "on Jan. 4, around midnight, under the orders of the Minister of Interior Administration, Cipriano Cassama."
A spokesman for the presidential guard said after the shooting incident that the rifle of a guard went off when General Na Wai's escort were passing by, describing it as an accident rather than any attempt to assassinate him.
Na Wai, a critic of President Vieira's policy, including some of his appointments, had served in a military junta that toppled Vierira in the 1998-1999 civil war after his rule of 19 years. Vierira returned to power in the 2005 the presidential election.
The latest fighting is a continuation of instability since the Nov. 16 legislative election.
A group of renegade soldiers launched a pre-dawn attack on the Presidential Palace two days after the unveiling of the provisional results of the election.
The frequent coup attempts highlight the need to reform the country's over-staffed military.
With the help of the international community, Guinea-Bissau unveiled a reform program last year, under which the armed forces are to be reduced from at least 7,000 troops to 2,000 or 2,500 between 2008 and 2011.
Joseph Motaboba, a Burundi diplomat representing UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, arrived in Guinea-Bissau in mid-February as the fifth special envoy in the country. Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior said the presence of the new UN special envoy would facilitate Guinea- Bissau's defense reform and post-election security.
Guinea-Bissau has long suffered instability since it independence from Portugal in 1974. The international community placed high hope on last year's election, seeing it as an opportunity to lead the country out of the shadow of coups. The twin killings, however, have dealt a heavy blow to the hope of stability.
President Vieira nominated a 32-member government under Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior in January. The government has yet to make an official statement on the latest killings.
