Regional African bloc sanctions Guinea military over coup

Addressing the media after a one-day extraordinary summit of heads of state in the Ghanaian capital over the political developments in Guinea and Mali, ECOWAS Commission President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou said the sanctions were to compel the military leaders to return their country to constitutional order without delay, Xinhua news agency reported on Friday.

Brou said ECOWAS imposed a travel ban on Guinea's military coup leaders, members of its "National Committee of Reconciliation and Development" and their relatives, and also froze their financial assets.

"ECOWAS also demands a short transitional period of no more than six months from the military leaders.

"They should hold elections and return the country to constitutional order, and immediately release deposed President Alpha Conde from detention," Brou said.

He also said that ECOWAS Chairman Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo would visit Guinea shortly to hold discussions with the military leaders on the demands of the ECOWAS and see to the release of Conde.

In its initial response on September 8 to the military coup in Guinea, the sub-regional body announced the suspension of the country's membership.

Immediately after the coup, the country's borders were closed and its constitution was declared invalid.