In a daring and audacious operation, heavily armed gunmen stormed the Central House prison in Conakry, Guinea, in the early hours of Saturday, orchestrating the escape of Guinea’s ex-military dictator, Moussa Dadis Camara.
The brazen attack triggered a wave of chaos and security measures throughout the region.
The initial sounds of gunfire shattered the tranquility of Kaloum, the administrative district housing the prison, at approximately 4:00 a.m., sending shockwaves through the area.
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Authorities swiftly cordoned off the entrance to the district, and reports indicated a heavy presence of special forces and military vehicles patrolling the vicinity.
Moussa Dadis Camara, who had been in detention since 2022 alongside two other former high-ranking military officers, was among those freed in the audacious attack. Justice Minister Charles Wright confirmed this shocking development.
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“Heavily armed men burst into the Central House of Conakry. They managed to leave with four defendants in the trial of the events of September 28, including Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara,” declared Mr. Wright during a radio broadcast. He hinted at ongoing investigations but refrained from disclosing further details.
As the morning wore on, the capital displayed a semblance of calm, though the presence of armed soldiers in specific sections of the city underscored the prevailing tension. Citizens were issued orders to remain indoors, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
In response to the jailbreak, Guinea swiftly sealed its borders to prevent the fugitives from leaving the country. Among the escapees were individuals, including Mr. Camara, who had been on trial for nearly a year, facing charges related to their alleged involvement in a tragic stadium massacre and mass rape linked to Guinean security forces during a pro-democracy rally on September 28, 2009, which claimed the lives of 150 people.
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Mr. Camara has consistently denied any responsibility, shifting the blame onto errant soldiers.
Guinea has been under the governance of military leader Mamady Doumbouya since a coup in 2021, reflecting a broader trend in West and Central Africa, where military officers have assumed power in multiple instances over the past three years. Notably, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Gabon have also experienced periods of military rule during this period, signifying the region’s complex political landscape.
