France, Nov. 26 -- The dramatic takeover unfolded as gunfire erupted near the presidential palace in the capital, Bissau, with soldiers in uniform blocking the main thoroughfare to the compound. Military personnel delivered their announcement from army headquarters, according to journalists from Agence France-Presse who witnessed the scene.

Troops from the presidential guard and an elite gendarmerie unit secured the now-deserted area around the palace after heavy shooting subsided midday Wednesday. Hundreds of residents had fled on foot and in vehicles as the gunfire rang out, seeking safety from the violence.

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