West Africa's regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), will deploy troops to Guinea-Bissau to help stabilize the country following a failed coup early this week.

ECOWAS Commission President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou said at a press briefing that the regional bloc has decided to offer military support to Guinea-Bissau to secure its democracy and sustain peace and security in the country.

"This is something that we will do very rapidly to ensure that this type of attempt of takeover power by force does not take place," said Kassi Brou.

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