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Calm returns after tense standoff

[Mali] A nomad Tamashek hut in the centre of Goa. Many people have abandoned their traditional nomadic way of life after successive droughts killed off animal herds. IRIN
Une hutte nomade Tamashek dans le centre de Goa, au Mali. De nombreux nomades ont dû abandonner leur mode de vie traditionnel après des sécheresses successives qui ont décimé leurs troupeaux
    GAO

    Calm returned to the Guinea Bissau capital, Bissau, just hours after a tense standoff on Friday between forces loyal to President Joao Bernardo Vieira and those opposed to him, news reports said at the weekend.

    The confrontation occurred after the government of national unity
    dismissed Bissau Mayor Paulo Medina, the Portuguese news agency, Lusa, reported. Troops loyal to Vieira, who appointed Medina, and those backing the military rebellion against him last year, gathered at city hall as tensions rose.

    Medina refused to accept his dismissal, saying he was appointed by presidential decree, Lusa said. Portuguese radio reported that Medina, accompanied by 10 civilians had broken into several offices in the council building and removed documents. The radio said this led Vieira's supporters and their opponents to gather outside the building.

    However, the troops from both camps were dispersed by the West African peace monitoring force, ECOMOG. This force, sent by the 16-nation Economic Community of West African States, is overseeing the 1 November Abuja peace accord that ended an eight-month military revolt last year.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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