President Joao Bernardo Vieira had ruled intermittently since 1980
Renegade soldiers have shot dead the president of the West African country of Guinea-Bissau, officials say.
The killing of Joao Bernardo Vieira is thought to have been a revenge attack, after the army chief of staff died in an explosion a few hours earlier.
The cabinet announced seven days of national mourning for both leaders and launched a judicial inquiry into the deaths.
"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 chief of staff Tagme Na Waie; military spokesman Zamora Induta told AFP news agency.
He accused Mr Vieira of being responsible for the death of the army chief of staff, with whom he had fallen out. Braima Camara, a reporter from privately-owned Radio Pindiquiti in Bissau, told the BBC the president had been killed at his private house, not far from the presidential palace.
Renegade soldiers have shot dead the president of the West African country of Guinea-Bissau, officials say.
The killing of Joao Bernardo Vieira is thought to have been a revenge attack, after the army chief of staff died in an explosion a few hours earlier.
The cabinet announced seven days of national mourning for both leaders and launched a judicial inquiry into the deaths.
"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 chief of staff Tagme Na Waie; military spokesman Zamora Induta told AFP news agency.
He accused Mr Vieira of being responsible for the death of the army chief of staff, with whom he had fallen out. Braima Camara, a reporter from privately-owned Radio Pindiquiti in Bissau, told the BBC the president had been killed at his private house, not far from the presidential palace.
