Who Led Foiled Coup in Guinea-Bissau? Probe Aims to Find Out

Guinea-Bissau's government launched a major investigation into a foiled coup attempt to overthrow President Umaro Sissoco Embalo. Reports say a commission of inquiry was launched, adding that military intelligence agents were gathering information at government headquarters.

On February 1, Embalo survived an armed attack when men with heavy artillery surrounded government buildings in the capital, Bissau, where the president and his prime minister were believed to be attending a Cabinet meeting.

Although the identity and motives of the assailants remain unclear, Embalo says the attack was linked to decisions he took "to fight drug trafficking and corruption". There is currently no evidence to support the theory that the drug mafia commissioned the attack. However, this theory cannot be dismissed as Guinea-Bissau is considered an important hub for drug trafficking, especially for cocaine.