The President of the West African state of Guinea-Bissau, Joao Bernardo Vieira, has been killed, Darik radio reported, citing the French AFP (France Press).

The AFP news agency quotes an army spokesman saying the President had been killed by soldiers as he tried to flee.

"President Vieira was killed by the army as he tried to flee his house which was being attacked by a group of soldiers close to the Head of the Chief of Staff Tagme Na Waie, early this morning," Zamora Induta told AFP.

The Army Chief of Staff, General Batista Tagme Na Wai, died late Sunday after a blast that destroyed part of the military headquarters.

It is not yet clear who is behind the attack and if a coup attempt is under way, BBC informs.

Guinea-Bissau is one of the world's poorest states. It is known as a drug trafficking center and has been plagued by coups and political unrest since it gained independence from Portugal in 1974.

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