Gunfire in Guinea-Bissau Capital Lasts Throughout the Night

Gunfire that reportedly broke out in Bissau on Thursday night continued into Friday morning with circumstances of the shooting remaining unclear.

Shots were first heard at midnight on the outskirts of the capital, in the neighbourhood of Antula. While gunshots persisted by the time commuters were on their way to work and children on their way to school, they became less frequent as military vehicles patrolled the streets, according to Reuters,

Meanwhile, following the outbreak of gunfire near the barracks in the Santa Luzia district, France24 reports that Finance Minister Souleiman Seidi and Secretary of State for the Public Treasury Antonio Monteiro were both freed by members of the national guard on Thursday night. They were relocated to Bissau’s southern district, based on reports from military and intelligence sources.

Seidi and Monteiro were taken into custody and allegedly interrogated over the withdrawal of U.S.$10 million from state funds which Seidi claims was legal and meant to support the private sector.