Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has left the country for Senegal after being detained during a military coup, the government in Dakar said Thursday, as a lead opponent accused him of arranging the uprising.

The military in volatile Guinea-Bissau appointed a general as the country's new leader, a day after seizing power and derailing the announcement of election results.

Opposition candidate Fernando Dias da Costa told AFP he believed he won Sunday's election and alleged Embalo -- who has also claimed victory -- had "organised" the power grab to prevent him from taking office.

Sandwiched between Guinea and Senegal, Guinea-Bissau has experienced four coups since independence from Portugal in 1974, as well as multiple attempted coups. Its election results are often contested

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