Black Bear Moon Music and Cultural Project

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At least 58 people have been killed after troops in Guinea opened fire on an opposition rally, reports say.

A BBC correspondent says troops fired into protesters as they gathered in a stadium in the capital, Conakry.

About 50,000 people took part in the rally against Capt Moussa Dadis Camara, who seized power in the West African nation in a bloodless coup last year.

It was triggered by indications he is to reverse a pledge not to run in a presidential vote planned for January.

France has issued a statement strongly condemning the “violent repression” of opposition demonstrators in its former colony.

Eyewitness’ account

Doctors said at least 58 bodies had been brought to hospital, many with bullet wounds.

Reports say at least two opposition leaders have been arrested. “They just started to shoot people directly… They tried to kill us,” Sidya Toure, former prime minister and now an opposition leader, told the BBC’s Focus on Africa from a hospital.

He said he had been badly injured in the head, and was speaking secretly from the hospital’s toilet as the military was not allowing opposition members any contacts with the media.

The BBC’s Alhassan Sillah in Conacry says the demonstrators have now been dispersed, but the military is out in force mounting checkpoints on many roads.

He says some opposition leaders appear to have been arrested and journalists have been targeted by the security forces.

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