Sun Dec 28 03:04:31 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the provided text and a news article based on it:

Summary:

On December 28, 2025, Guinean security forces neutralized an armed group in Conakry, the capital, ahead of the presidential election scheduled for the same day. The operation, based on intelligence, resulted in the arrest of individuals involved after an exchange of gunfire in the Sonfonia neighborhood. The government statement did not explicitly link the operation to the election. The election is meant to conclude a four-year transition after a military coup in 2021. However, Guinea has a history of authoritarian rule, and the current junta leader, General Doumbouya, has faced criticism for suppressing dissent.

News Article:

Guinean Forces Neutralize Armed Group Ahead of Contentious Election

Conakry, Guinea – December 28, 2025 – Guinean security forces announced today that they neutralized an armed group in the capital, Conakry, just hours before the country is set to hold its presidential election. According to an official statement from the Operational Command Post for Internal Security, the operation was conducted early Saturday based on “reliable intelligence” regarding the group’s “subversive intentions threatening national security.”

The statement detailed that the security services targeted a compound in the Sonfonia suburb, approximately 15 km from downtown Conakry. Following “several exchanges of gunfire,” the group was neutralized, and individuals involved were arrested. Authorities have yet to release specific details regarding the group’s identity or alleged motives.

Residents in Sonfonia reported hearing gunfire late Friday night and early Saturday morning near a mosque and a residential building. Bullet marks and traces of blood were visible at the scene.

The election, slated for today, includes nine candidates, most notably junta leader General Mamady Doumbouya, who seized power in a 2021 military coup. This election is intended to mark the end of a four-year transition period. However, Doumbouya’s regime has faced international condemnation for suppressing civil liberties, banning protests, and detaining political opponents. The timing of today’s operation, on the eve of an already fraught election, raises concerns about potential further instability in the mineral-rich but impoverished nation.

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