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Guinea's defence minister sacked Guinean army to receive back pay
(about 7 hours later)
Guinea's defence minister has been sacked, one day after troops took the deputy head of the army hostage in a dispute over pay. 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.
Soldiers at the Alpha Yaya Diallo base in the capital, Conakry, have continued to fire shots and have looted shops, BBC correspondents report. Each soldier will be paid up to 1m Guinean francs by the end of this month, the authorities say.
They also reported unrest at two garrisons in Guinea's interior. 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.
They captured Gen Mamadou Sampil on Monday when he tried to negotiate with them at the Alpha Yaya Diallo base. 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.
The BBC's Alhassan Sillah in Guinea says that 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.
Prisoner releasePrisoner 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.
But it also said it had paid all the money owed to the soldiers, which did little to appease the them, he 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.
Mr Conte has ruled Guinea since taking power in a bloodless coup in 1984. President Conte, who took power in a coup in 1984, bought off a similar revolt and general strike last year.