The president of Guinea-Bissau reassured residents of the West African nation by news conference from his bullet-scarred home after mutinous soldiers fought their way into the residence in a three-hour gunbattle with his guards.

MUTINOUS soldiers fought their way into the fortified residence of Guinea-Bissau’s president yesterday, launching a three-hour gunbattle with his guards, as the leader and his family hid elsewhere in the building, a top official said.

THE army launched a coup in the West Africa country of Guinea-Bissau yesterday, arresting the president and ordering government ministers detained, according to reports.