Washington — The Guinean military used "brazen and inappropriate" force against unarmed and peaceful demonstrators September 28, the U.S. State Department said in a statement issued September 29. The statement called on the country's ruling military junta to release opposition leaders and allow a return to civilian rule "as soon as possible."

State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the United States condemns the actions by Guinea's Presidential Guard, which reportedly fired on a large group of protesters who had gathered in a Conakry stadium for a rally calling for the military ruler, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, to step down. The military killed at least 157 people and injured more than 1,200, Kelly said in the statement.

"The military also stands accused of carrying out brutal rapes and sexual assaults on women demonstrators and bystanders during its rampage," Kelly said.

The Obama administration demands "the immediate release of opposition leaders and a return to civilian rule as soon as possible," he said, which is also what "the Guinean people themselves continue to demand."

Kelly said the United States also insists that the junta's ruling National Council for Democracy and Development "respect the commitments it has made and not field candidates in Guinea's upcoming elections," which are scheduled for 2010.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice told reporters in New York September 30 that the U.N. Security Council was briefed on the situation in Guinea, collectively condemned it, and expressed "utmost concern" at the reports of what occurred in Conakry, saying the actions pose a risk to regional peace and security.

Rice, who is currently serving as the president of the Security Council, said the U.N. body supports the leadership and public statements that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) have made on the events in Guinea, particularly ECOWAS' call for an international investigation, and the AU statement that it is preparing a report on the matter and possible measures that could include sanctions.

The Security Council urged the military to end the violence "without delay." It also echoed calls for the junta to "bring the perpetrators to justice, release all political prisoners, opposition leaders and individuals who are being denied due process under the law, and ... allow a prompt return to the rule of law, democracy and constitutional order through elections as scheduled in 2010." The council also called on the junta to honor its commitment not to field candidates from the National Council for Democracy and Development in the election.

State Department Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs P.J. Crowley said September 30 that reports of the use of rape by the Guinean military came as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was at the U.N. Security Council promoting a resolution to protect women in conflict zones.

"The resolution decries the use of rape as a tactic of war, obviously a source of tremendous concern to us today, as we see the violence in Guinea, which included a loss of discipline by military forces there and a significant number of people killed and women raped," Crowley said, adding that the measure also calls on the U.N. secretary-general to appoint a special representative "to lead, coordinate and advocate for efforts to end sexual violence."