By Mduduzi Hlophe

GUINEA: Guinea soldiers appeared on national TV claiming to have dissolved the government, the BBC reported on Sunday.

However, the defence ministry said the attempted takeover had been thwarted by the presidential guard.

This follows hours of heavy gunfire near the presidential palace in the capital, Conakry.

The West African country of Guinea is rich in natural resources but years of unrest and mismanagement mean it is one of the world\'s poorest countries.

President barefoot on a sofa

The TV address featured nine unnamed soldiers, several draped in the red, gold and green national flag, who said they had taken over because of rampant corruption, mismanagement and poverty.

Calling themselves the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development, they said the constitution had been dissolved and that there would be consultations to create a new, more inclusive one.

Numerous reports say the coup was led by an elite unit headed by a former French legionnaire, Lt Col Mamady Doumbouya.

In one video, which the BBC has not been able to verify, soldiers ask President Condé, 83, to confirm he is unharmed but he refuses to respond.