Guinea-Bissau's military has arrested acting President Raimundo Pereira and Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Jr., a military spokesman said, in a coup that has drawn widespread condemnation from the international community.
The men were taken into custody Thursday night, as gunfire and explosions rocked the capital of Bissau.
Daba Naualna, a spokesman for the army's chief of staff, told CNN on Friday night that both Pereira and Gomes were well, and that no one had been killed or wounded in the unrest.
He claimed a group that calls itself "the Military Command" was behind the arrests, though it is not clear who its members are. Afterward, according to Naualna, the actual leaders of Guinea-Bissau's armed forces took control of the situation in an attempt to ensure stability.
"The (army chief of staff) thinks, for the sake of the country, that power cannot fall into the streets and decided to have (the military) play its part in seeking solutions with the political class to resolve this crisis," the spokesman said.
Asserting that it has no desire to "stay in power," the military is asking for members of political parties to send it concrete ideas by Sunday on what to do next, Naualna said.
A meeting will take place that day to discuss the proposals.
Such political moves have done little to dull the anger expressed Friday by foreign leaders, some of which highlighted the fact the coup occurred just before the second round of a presidential election set for April 29.
African Union Chairman Jean Ping issued a statement expressing his group's "total rejection of any attempt at undermining the constitutional order" and demanding the "immediate and unconditional release" of Pereira and Gomes.
