Guinea's president dismisses 173 soldiers, including coup ally, for desertion
It is thought to be part of efforts to consolidate the former coup leader's control.
Guinea's President, Mamadi Doumbouya, aged 41, has discharged 173 soldiers, among them a colonel who was instrumental in his 2021 coup, on grounds of "desertion."
Colonel Michel Lamah was affiliated with the Special Forces Group (GFS), an elite military contingent formerly under Doumbouya's command.
Following his overthrow of President Alpha Condé, Doumbouya had pledged to abstain from seeking election and to transition power to civilian governance. However, he subsequently broke this commitment, participating in and overwhelmingly winning the December election.
The dismissals, formally declared via a state television decree, are perceived as a component of the president's continuing strategy to solidify his authority and preempt any potential threats to his leadership.
The affected personnel represented diverse military branches. No specifics regarding the alleged desertions of the 173 service members were provided when General Amara Camara, the presidential spokesperson, publicly read the decree on Monday.
Colonel Lamah gained public recognition during the September 2021 coup when he was photographed transporting the then-deposed President Condé in a vehicle.
During the coup, troops stormed the presidential palace and apprehended Condé, who had secured a contentious third term in office the preceding year amidst violent demonstrations.
Since the coup, the West African nation has experienced a suppression of numerous civil liberties.
Media organizations have been closed, protests prohibited, and certain political parties suspended, while activists and opposition figures have faced arrest or exile.
Two of Guinea's prominent opposition parties, RPG Arc en Ciel and UFDG, were barred from last year's election, in which the former junta leader secured 87% of the vote.
Over the past five years, Doumbouya has concentrated on transforming Guinea, a nation abundant in mineral resources, from a raw material supplier into a more developed industrial processing center.