Guinea-Bissau's army said in a statement that General Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embalco took the oath as interim president of the country on Thursday, a day after military officers announced the ousting of the president. The officers, who referred to themselves as the 'Supreme Military Command for the Restoration of Order,' said in a statement broadcast on state television on Wednesday that they had ousted President Umaro Sissoco Embalco, the latest episode in turmoil in a country that has experienced a coup. This came a day before the announcement of preliminary results that were expected in the race between Embalco and newcomer Fernando Dias, a 47-year-old who has emerged as the main challenger to Embalco for the presidency of the West African nation. Calm prevailed across much of the capital Bissau on Thursday as soldiers patrolled the streets and many residents stayed home even after a night-time curfew was lifted. Businesses and banks were closed.
