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Guinean army to receive back pay | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
The authorities in Guinea, faced with mounting protests by soldiers demanding back pay, have agreed to pay the arrears, some of which go back to 1996. | |
Each soldier will be paid up to 1m Guinean francs by the end of this month, the authorities say. | |
Earlier, the defence minister was sacked a day after troops kidnapped the army's deputy head in the pay dispute. | |
The troops say they have been owed money for up to 12 years, and protested over the same issue last year. | The troops say they have been owed money for up to 12 years, and protested over the same issue last year. |
At least one person was killed as shots were fired and shops looted by soldiers based at the Alpha Yaya Diallo base in the capital, Conakry, BBC correspondents reported. | |
Prisoner release | Prisoner release |
The protesting troops had captured Gen Mamadou Sampil on Monday when he tried to negotiate with them at the base. | |
The BBC's Alhassan Sillah in Guinea says shots were also heard in two other garrisons in Kindia, north-east of Conakry, and N'Zerekore in the south east. | |
There were unconfirmed reports that several people had been injured in the violence. | |
Following the unrest President Lansana Conte summoned senior government officials including new Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare for a meeting that lasted more than four hours. | Following the unrest President Lansana Conte summoned senior government officials including new Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare for a meeting that lasted more than four hours. |
The government then issued a statement calling for dialogue and offering to release soldiers arrested after protests last year in return for calm, our correspondent says. | The government then issued a statement calling for dialogue and offering to release soldiers arrested after protests last year in return for calm, our correspondent says. |
On Tuesday, a presidential decree read out on public radio announced that Defence Minister Gen Mamadou Bailo Diallo had been fired. | On Tuesday, a presidential decree read out on public radio announced that Defence Minister Gen Mamadou Bailo Diallo had been fired. |
The protests come the week after President Conte also sacked Lansana Kouyate as prime minister. | The protests come the week after President Conte also sacked Lansana Kouyate as prime minister. |
Mr Kouyate was appointed as part of a deal in 2007 to end deadly riots that paralysed the country. | Mr Kouyate was appointed as part of a deal in 2007 to end deadly riots that paralysed the country. |
He was replaced by Mr Souare, a former minister of mines and ally of Mr Conte. | He was replaced by Mr Souare, a former minister of mines and ally of Mr Conte. |
The dismissal of Mr Kouyate was reportedly one of the soldiers' complaints, as they said they had no-one left to petition. | The dismissal of Mr Kouyate was reportedly one of the soldiers' complaints, as they said they had no-one left to petition. |
His sacking sparked protests in Conakry last week. | His sacking sparked protests in Conakry last week. |
President Conte, who took power in a coup in 1984, bought off a similar revolt and general strike last year. |