Guinea's President Conde survives attack at home

[News_Editor]

Guinea's President Conde survives attack at home

2011-07-19 22:48:54 GMT+7 (ICT)

CONAKRY, GUINEA (BNO NEWS) -- Guinean President Alpha Conde on Tuesday survived an attack after a group of gunmen raided his residential home, local media reported.

The incident occurred at around 3 a.m. local time, when three 4x4 vehicles carrying a group of gunmen arrived at President Conde's Kipe Ratoma residence in Conakry, Guinea, and carried out the attack with rockets, sniper rifles, and other weapons and night equipment, Press Guinee reported.

The presidential guard retaliated and the battle continued for more than an hour. One of the guards, Bakary Camara Oulen was killed during the gunfight. In addition, two other guards and one woman were injured during the incident.

President Conde called on all Guineans for calm and unity, while ordering national security officials to conduct a thorough investigation into the attack. He also underlined that a "man's life belongs to God and not to another man," adding that no force would stop national transformation, which he has promised.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that two soldiers were arrested in connection to the attack.

President Conde won Guinea's first democratic presidential election in December 2010, over 50 years after the country gained independence from France.

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