Cape Town — Clashes and gunfire that erupted in Bissau on December 1 were, according to Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, the result of an attempted coup, Reuters reports.

"I can assure you that the events of December 1, 2023, are yet another attempted coup and those responsible will suffer serious consequences," Embalo told journalists in Dubai where he attended the COP28 climate summit.

During the incident, shots were first heard at midnight on the outskirts of the capital, in the neighbourhood of Antula. While gunshots persisted by the time commuters were on their way to work and children on their way to school, they became less frequent as military vehicles patrolled the streets.

Following the cessation of violence, the army released a press statement saying order had been restored. Guinea-Bissau has suffered numerous coups and unrest since achieving its independence from Portugal in 1974.