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| Mystery over E Guinea shoot-out | Mystery over E Guinea shoot-out |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| An unidentified armed group has reportedly attempted to attack the presidential palace in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea. | An unidentified armed group has reportedly attempted to attack the presidential palace in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea. |
| Government spokesman Jeronimo Osa told Spanish news agency Efe by telephone that the attackers had been fought off. | Government spokesman Jeronimo Osa told Spanish news agency Efe by telephone that the attackers had been fought off. |
| Malabo has ruled out a coup and blamed the attack on criminals, ex-colonial power Spain's foreign ministry said. | Malabo has ruled out a coup and blamed the attack on criminals, ex-colonial power Spain's foreign ministry said. |
| President Teodoro Obiang Nguema was not in his official residence in the capital at the time, say reports. | President Teodoro Obiang Nguema was not in his official residence in the capital at the time, say reports. |
| The country, sub-Saharan Africa's third biggest oil producer, has suffered decades of instability. | The country, sub-Saharan Africa's third biggest oil producer, has suffered decades of instability. |
| Attackers 'thwarted' | Attackers 'thwarted' |
| In 2004, dozens of foreign mercenaries, led by former British commando Simon Mann, tried to overthrow the president but were caught. | |
| The whereabouts of the attackers following the shootout, which is said to have lasted for several hours from around 0400 local time (0300 GMT) on Tuesday, are unclear. | The whereabouts of the attackers following the shootout, which is said to have lasted for several hours from around 0400 local time (0300 GMT) on Tuesday, are unclear. |
| They reportedly arrived on the island in boats fitted with powerful outboard engines, of the type used by militants in the Niger Delta. | |
| But Nigerian rebel group Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) denied to the BBC reports from Equatorial Guinea attempting to link them to the attack. | |
| Reuters news agency quoted a resident as saying: "I'm told that two or three boats landed and shooting began and the military responded with land forces, naval forces and air force⦠and that the situation is now under control." | Reuters news agency quoted a resident as saying: "I'm told that two or three boats landed and shooting began and the military responded with land forces, naval forces and air force⦠and that the situation is now under control." |
| By daylight, armed security forces had deployed in Malabo and erected roadblocks to search vehicles and check passengers' identities, witnesses told AFP news agency. | |
| Equatorial Guinean minister and government spokesman, Mr Osa, told Efe the presidential guard had thwarted the attack and calm had been restored. | Equatorial Guinean minister and government spokesman, Mr Osa, told Efe the presidential guard had thwarted the attack and calm had been restored. |
| "It seems more like a criminal act than something political. The government of Equatorial Guinea has ruled out a coup d'etat. At the moment, the situation is calm," a Spanish foreign ministry spokeswoman told Reuters. | "It seems more like a criminal act than something political. The government of Equatorial Guinea has ruled out a coup d'etat. At the moment, the situation is calm," a Spanish foreign ministry spokeswoman told Reuters. |
| Madrid's Radio Exterior de Espana Servicio Mundial reported another account which said forces loyal to Mann had tried to rescue him from a hospital he has been in for a few days. | |
| Mann was sentenced to 34 years in jail last summer for his role in a coup plot in Equatorial Guinea. | |
| President Nguema has ruled since 1979 after toppling his uncle in a coup. |