Guinea's President Doumbouya dismisses 173 soldiers, including coup ally, for desertion

The dismissals, announced via a decree read by General Amara Camara, the president's spokesman, are seen as an effort to consolidate President Doumbouya's control. Colonel Lamah gained public attention during the September 2021 coup when he was photographed with the then-deposed President Alpha Condé. Following the coup, which saw President Condé arrested after securing a controversial third term, Guinea has experienced a crackdown on civil liberties, including media shutdowns, protest bans, and the suspension of some political parties.

Activists and opposition figures have faced arrest or exile. Two major opposition parties, RPG Arc en Ciel and UFDG, were excluded from last year's election, which President Doumbouya won with 87% of the vote. Over the past five years, President Doumbouya has focused on transforming Guinea, a mineral-rich nation, into an industrial processing hub from a raw materials supplier.