News from Africa

Guinea troops go on rampage despite government pledge

Rampaging troops in the west African state of Guinea left two people dead and dozens hurt as they looted shops and robbed civilians in protest at not being paid, witnesses and hospital sources said Wednesday.

The two deaths from stray bullets in the capital Conakry followed the killing of a woman earlier this week in a provincial town by soldiers angered by non-payment of wage arrears, some of which go back to 1996.

An official at Conakry's main Donka hospital said two men hit by bullets fired in the air at random by the troops died of their injuries as they were being brought in from the southern suburbs of Matoto and Yimbaya.

At least 20 people had been admitted for treatment early Wednesday, the official said, but local residents contacted by telephone said dozens had been wounded by stray bullets in Matoto, Yimbaya and another district, Enco 5.

The soldiers had looted food shops and other stores, and held up private cars and taxis to rob the occupants. Drivers quickly abandoned the streets, and it was hours before the injured could be taken to hospital.

An army officer said the soldiers were "out of control" and "filling their pockets."

The unrest continued despite a government statement Tuesday that "following the demands formulated by the soldiers," it would pay out five million Guinean francs (785 euros, 1,234 dollars) to each in stages, with the first million coming before the end of the month.

The government pledge came after soldiers' protests on Monday saw at least one person killed and eight -- including a high-ranking army officer -- wounded by stray bullets in the Conakry area and at Kindia, some 130 kilometres (80 miles) east of the capital.

The soldiers have also captured Guinea's deputy chief-of-staff, General Mamadou Sampil, and held him since Monday afternoon at the country's largest military base, Alfa Yaya Diallo, near the capital's international airport.

Major Korka Diallo, who is in charge of military finances, and two other officers wounded Monday were flown to Morocco for treatment, military sources said Wednesday.

The protests came a year after similar mutinies in several towns across Guinea over the same issue, when at least eight people died and dozens more were injured by stray bullets.

On Tuesday President Lansana Conte, who has ruled the west African nation since 1984, sacked his defence minister, Mamadou Bailo Diallo, in a repeat of his response last year.

Last week Conte dismissed prime minister Lansana Kouyate, a compromise candidate put forward under a deal to end a general strike and massive protests in 2007, and replaced him with his confidant Ahmed Tidiane Souare.

The dismissal of Kouyate was one of the soldiers' grievances, as they said they had nobody to address their complaints to since his departure. (AFP)