At least 58 killed in Guinea anti-junta protest

Conakry: At least 58 people were killed in Conakry today when Guinea's security forces opened fire on opposition demonstrators, with troops reportedly removing bodies to hide the scale of the bloodshed.

"We have counted 52 bodies and six more have just come in," said a doctor at the Donka university medical centre, where bodies were arriving after security forces crushed a protest against junta leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara.

A member of the Red Cross said  that military commanders had issued instructions for all bodies from the demonstration at a city stadium to be taken to the Alpha Yaya Diallo military camp, rather than to morgues.

A source at Ignace Deen hospital said that an army truck had come by to pick up "dozens of bodies" to be taken to"an unknown destination" after presidential guards violently evacuated several thousand people gathered to demonstrate indefiance of a ban.

"It's butchery! There are dozens of dead," said another doctor who asked not to be named.

The protesters had gathered to oppose any bid by the junta leader, who took power in December 2008, to run forpresident in elections due next January. Camara is also under strong international pressure to step down.

Former colonial ruler France condemned "the violent repression exercised by the army against the opposition and civil society during a peaceful demonstration held in Conakry," said a foreign ministry statement.