In pictures: Guineans cheer coup

Thousands of people have turned out in the Guinean capital, Conakry, to welcome soldiers supporting a coup that followed the death of President Lansana Conte.

A junior army officer, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, has been declared head of a council replacing the government. But the government has insisted it is still in power.

President Conte, who had ruled since 1984, died on Monday night after a "long illness". His funeral is expected on Friday.

Coup leaders have claimed that forces loyal to the government are plotting a return to power, while government leaders have appealed for the international community to intervene.

Correspondents say it is important to see whether the army is united, since any power struggle could be extremely dangerous given Guinea's ethnic divisions.

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