Coup Attempt Thwarted by Guinea Army : Civilians Reported Slain in Takeover Bid by Ex-Premier

The army of Guinea today foiled an attempt by former Prime Minister Diarra Traore to overthrow President Lansana Conte, the government of the West African nation announced in a communique broadcast on state radio.

An unspecified number of civilians were killed in the thwarted coup, a government minister said.

Conte, 52, was in Lome, Togo, to attend a summit meeting of the 16-member Economic Community of West Africa, of which he is acting chairman. A spokesman said he had no comment but was returning to Guinea later in the day.

The broadcast over Radio Conakry gave no indication of the fate of the 50-year-old Traore, most recently minister of state for education, who helped Conte seize power in April, 1984.

Rebels at Station

Jean Traore, minister of planning and natural resources, told Radio France Internationale an unspecified number of civilians were killed.

The minister, who is not related to Diarra Traore, said that a number of rebels remained holed up at Radio Conakry, where the coup attempt was mounted, and that government forces were searching for Diarra Traore.

Jean Traore said it was difficult to determine the number of people involved in the plot.

A government statement broadcast over state radio called for calm and urged Guineans to “avoid all acts of pillage.” The radio said harbors and airports were being shut to stop the plotters of the coup from escaping.

‘Total Disappointment’

Diarra Traore announced on Radio Conakry late Thursday that he had taken power to end “15 months of total disappointment” with Conte’s regime. He charged that Conte had failed to promote economic development.

After his announcement, the radio alternated martial music with rebroadcasts of Traore’s statement.

The radio went off the air early today and then resumed broadcasting to announce that the army “has taken control of the situation.”

One Paris-based diplomat said the attempted coup probably had more to do with ethnic and personal rivalries than political differences. Traore’s Malinke tribe, together with the Peul tribe, makes up about 60% of the population, compared to about 18% for Conte’s Soussous tribe.

Conte took power eight days after the death of Sekou Toure, who wielded autocratic power for more than 25 years and maintained close ties to the Soviet Union.