Guinea-Bissau's deposed President Umaro Sissoco Embaló has arrived in neighbouring Senegal following his release by military forces that toppled his government this week, Senegal's authorities have announced.
It follows negotiations by the regional West African bloc Ecowas to secure his transfer amid rising tensions in Guinea-Bissau. Senegal's foreign ministry stated that Embaló had landed in the country safe and sound on a chartered military flight late on Thursday.
The military in Guinea-Bissau has already sworn in a new transitional leader, Gen Horta N'Tam, who will rule the coup-prone country for a year.
Wednesday's coup came a day before authorities were due to announce the provisional results of a presidential and parliamentary election. The military has suspended the electoral process and blocked the release of the results.
It stated that it was acting to thwart a plot by unnamed politicians alleged to have the support of a well-known drug baron to destabilise the country and imposed a night-time curfew.
Sandwiched between Senegal and Guinea, Guinea-Bissau is known as a drug-trafficking hub where the military has been influential since it attained independence from Portugal in 1974. Tensions were already high as both Embaló and his closest rival Fernando Dias had claimed victory in the presidential poll.
The military junta has banned public protests and all actions deemed disturbing to peace. Following these developments, civil society groups and political rivals have accused Embaló of orchestrating a simulated coup to block the results of the elections.
International bodies including Ecowas and the African Union have condemned the coup, emphasizing the need to restore constitutional order, while the UN Secretary-General has expressed deep concern over the situation in Guinea-Bissau.
