At least six people were killed in a failed attempt to overthrow Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, state radio said on Wednesday, adding that the dead in Tuesday's incident included four assailants and two members of the presidential guard.

Several civilians and soldiers had already been arrested in capital Bissau after an "attempted putsch," Embalo said.

Embalo, accompanied by Prime Minister Nuno Gomes Nabiam and members of the government, held a press conference at the presidential palace on Tuesday after the failed coup attempt.

He said, "The actors are known by the security services because they are being prosecuted for drug trafficking in Guinea-Bissau. This is an isolated act carried out by a group of traffickers in the country."

Embalo also reiterated his commitment to continue fighting drug trafficking in the Western African country.

Gunshots were reported near the Palace of the Government in Bissau, where an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers was being held. The president and the prime minister were inside the building, a source said on condition of anonymity.

The situation was completely under the control of the loyalist forces, according to the security source. There were reports of unidentified deaths inside the government palace.

Around 1 p.m. local time, the crackling of automatic weapons triggered panic among the residents in Bissau. In the city center, all the shops, restaurants and banks were closed. Officials and students were sent home.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) issued a statement on Tuesday evening, saying the regional bloc was following developments with great concern.

The organization condemns the coup attempt and holds the military responsible for the physical integrity of Embalo and the members of his government, it said.

ECOWAS called on the military to return to their barracks and maintain a republican posture, it added.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: A soldier patrols the Palace of the Government area in Bissau, capital of Guinea-Bissau, February 1, 2022. /CFP)