Military Coup: Soldiers Declare Total Control Of the Country amid military take over in Guinea-Bissau

According to BBC President of Guinea-Bissau has been arrested and soldiers announced Wednesday they were taking “total control” of the country while suspending its electoral process and closing its borders, three days after the poverty-stricken West African nation’s legislative and presidential elections.

Earlier in the day gunfire was heard near the coup-prone country’s presidential palace as men in military uniform took over the main road leading to the building.

Military personnel made the announcement by reading a statement at army headquarters in the capital, Bissau, AFP journalists observed on the scene.

The move came shortly after sustained gunfire was heard near the election commission head-quarters, the presidential palace and the interior ministry in the capital, Bissau.

The results of Sunday’s presidential vote were expected to be announced on Thursday in the West African nation. The vote had pit incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embalo against his primary challenger Fernando Dias.

Reporting from neighbouring Senegal on Wednes-day, Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque said Embalo’s whereabouts were not immediately clear after the military officers’ statement.

“The presidential palace is heavily guarded as we speak, surrounded by the presidential guard, and we have the military deployed,” Haque said.

“What we know for sure is that the military is definitely in charge of the country today.”