DAKAR, Senegal — In West Africa’s latest military takeover, soldiers in Guinea-Bissau followed up a disputed presidential election by seizing power last week in what some critics allege was a staged coup to avoid having the incumbent lose.

Here’s what to know about the Nov. 26 coup in Guinea-Bissau:

Takeover announced after a contested vote

Incumbent President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and the main opposition candidate, Fernando Dias, both claimed to have won the Nov. 23 presidential election.

Three days after the vote, military officers appeared on state television to announce they had seized power and suspended the election after discovering what they said was a conspiracy to manipulate the results. Embaló told media outlets he had been deposed and arrested.

Soldiers said the conspiracy

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