afrol News, 21 October - The US government has backed the West African arms embargo against Guinea, following the death of opposition supporters in September.

According to a Statement issued from the White House, the United States strongly supports the Economic Community of West African States' (ECOWAS) decision to impose an arms embargo on Guinea and to work with the African Union to develop a regime of targeted sanctions against individuals.

The United Nations estimates that about 150 people were killed at the Conakry stadium on 28 September when troops opened fire on a rally urging junta leader Moussa Dadis Camara not to stand in elections planned for January.

The junta however says that 56 people were killed, while rights groups say that at least 157 people were massacred and more than 1,200 were injured, including women who were brutally raped by soldiers.

The African Union has given Captain Camara until mid-October to confirm he will not stand in the presidential elections scheduled for 31 January next year, warning of sanctions if he misses that deadline.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has meanwhile announced a plan to conduct a preliminary inquiry to determine if war crimes were committed in the September crackdown.

The ICC said preliminary examination of the situation has been immediately initiated in order to determine whether crimes falling under the Court’s jurisdiction have been perpetrated.

By staff writer

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