Guinea’s presidency denied reports of an emergency near the presidential palace in Conakry on Thursday, after rumours of gunfire caused panic in the capital.
Local media had earlier reported that people were being urged to leave the Kaloum district, where the presidential palace, government ministries, embassies, and banks are located. News outlets such as Guinee Matin and Guinee News claimed that special forces had been deployed in the area.
In response, the presidency issued a statement dismissing the rumours. “a wild rumour of alleged gunfire at the Presidency of the Republic was spread in the city and abroad”, the statement read. It further called the reports “false and fabricated.”
“This misinformation led to panic in some areas,” the presidency said on X (formerly Twitter) and reiterated on state television, urging residents to continue their daily activities as normal.
The alarm raised parallels with the events of 2021, when gunfire in Kaloum signalled the coup that ousted President Alpha Condé, leading to the current junta under General Mamady Doumbouya. Since taking power, the junta has cracked down on dissent, banning protests in 2022.
Despite international pressure, including from the regional bloc ECOWAS, to hold elections by the end of 2024, Guinea’s military leaders have acknowledged they are unlikely to meet this deadline.