National mourning declared for 11 people killed in Guinea-Bissau coup attempt

DAKAR, Senegal

Two days of national mourning have been declared Saturday for those killed in a Feb. 1 coup attempt in Guinea-Bissau.

President Umaro Sissoco Embalo said mourning will start Feb. 5 for the 11 people who died, according to media reports.

The deaths occurred when soldiers tried to overthrow Embalo, the government confirmed Wednesday.

Embalo said Tuesday that members of the security forces had been killed during shootings that lasted five hours.

The dead included military and paramilitary forces and four civilians, including a senior official from the Agriculture Ministry, the Minister of Tourism and spokesman for the government, Fernado Vaz, told a news conference.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz.