Heavy gunfire around Guinea president's home: Witnesses

CONAKRY: Heavy gunfire erupted around the residence of Guinea President Alpha Conde in the capital Conakry in the early hours of Tuesday, witnesses said.

Some witnesses in the city's Kipe district said they heard heavy weapons fired by the military for more than two hours, subsiding around 5:30 am.

Police had closed off access to the administrative centre of the city, at Kaloum, witnesses said.

Conde became president in November last year, taking over from a military junta after the coup-wracked West African country's first democratic election since gaining independence from France in 1958.

Guinea has a long history of coups and attempted coups, the last coming in December 2008 when a young army officer, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, seized power. He was overthrown a year later after being shot in the head by a close aide.

A transition government led by General Sekouba Konate led the country to its first democratic elections in November last year.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011