Special Forces reportedly seized power in Guinea on Sunday after detaining President Alpha Conde.
The soldiers announced the dissolution of the country’s institutions but the Defense Ministry insists the attack on the presidency was stopped.
The fate of Guinea’s President Alpha Condé is unclear after an unverified video showed him surrounded by soldiers, who said they had seized power.
“We have decided after having taken the president, who is currently with us…to dissolve the current constitution, to dissolve the institutions.
“We have also decided to dissolve the government and the closure of land and air borders”, one of the coup plotters declared.
However, a statement by the Defence Ministry said “the insurgents spread fear” in Conakry before arriving at the presidential palace.
It added the guard, defense and security forces, loyalists and republicans contained the threat.
This follows hours of heavy gunfire near the presidential palace in the capital, Conakry.
The West African country of Guinea is rich in natural resources but years of unrest and mismanagement mean it is one of the world’s poorest countries.
There is an image of Conde in a room surrounded by troops. He sits on a sofa dressed in jeans and a shirt.