Guinea president dismisses 173 soldiers, including coup ally, for desertion

Sun Sep 06 2026 02:43:28 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Guinea's new president impacts military stability by dismissing 173 personnel, including a former coup partner.

Guinea’s President Mamady Doumbouya announced the dismissal of 173 military personnel for alleged desertion, a move that includes a key figure who aided the 2021 coup. The decree, televised on state TV, comes amid concerns that the president is tightening his grip on power after assuming presidency in December. The soldiers dismissed span across various branches, with no specific details on the circumstances of the desertions released. Analysts warn that such purges could consolidate the president’s authority while alienating loyalists within the armed forces.

Guinea’s President Mamady Doumbouya announced that 173 soldiers have been dismissed for "desertion" in a decree shown on state television. The list includes Colonel Michel Lamah, a former elite Special Forces officer who helped seize power in the 2021 coup that ousted President Alpha Condé.

Despite promising to hand over power after the coup, Doumbouya won a landslide victory in the December electoral bid and now appears to be tightening his control over the military. The dismissals, spanning several branches, were made without detailed reasons, according to spokesman Gen. Amara Camara’s reading of the decree.

Experts suggest the purge could be a strategic effort to curb potential challenges within the armed forces and consolidate authority. Knowledge of the specific desertion cases remains unclear, but the move signals an ongoing shift in Guinea’s political landscape, where the president’s rule has been met with both support and criticism.