AFRICA : GUINEA BISSAU : 7 KILLED IN AN ASSAULT

Agenzia Fides REPORT- The situation is currently calm, the security forces, however, have strengthened border controls and along the roads, and searched a number of houses in search of those responsible for the attack against the barracks" says to Fides Agency a source of the Church of Bissau, that wishes to remain anonymous for security reasons, where early yesterday morning, Sunday, October 21, an armed group attacked the barracks of the Red Berets, a unit of elite near the airport. At least 7 people were killed in the assault. "We are talking about the most efficient unit of the local army and is a bit at the centre of all the internal power struggles," says our source.
The government accused captain Pansau N'Tchama, considered loyal to former Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior, overthrown by the military coup on April 12. The coup led by Chief of Staff, General Antonio Indjai ceded power to some politicians after signing an agreement for the establishment of a transitional government led by President Manuel Serifos Nhamadjo. This agreement was approved by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), but was rejected by Portugal (the former colonizer) and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). The European Union imposed sanctions against leading members of Guinea Bissau.
The government of Bissau accused Portugal, the CPLP and the former Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior to be the instigators of the attack against the barracks. "This is the version of those in power. We are trying to figure out who is behind this incident, but it is very difficult to understand what is behind the scenes of politics in the Country. Certainly the government, accusing explicitly Portugal and the CPLP, accentuates its international isolation, " says our source. Surely there are interwoven among the last events and drug trafficking because "the struggle for political power is linked to the control of trafficking of cocaine transiting the Country from Latin America into Europe," concludes our source. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 22/10/2012)

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