Heavy gunfire was heard near the central prison in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, on Tuesday morning. Security forces quickly deployed to the area, including military pick-up trucks and armored vehicles, reported Reuters. The gunfire lasted about half an hour and began before 9 a.m. local time. Witnesses described rapid automatic gunfire and vehicles speeding by. The central administrative district of Kaloum, where the prison and presidential palace are located, saw heavy security presence. Police and special forces blocked access to routes leading to the prison; however, these were reopened later in the day. At least three armored vehicles belonging to special forces and three ambulances were seen near the prison. Local resident Thierno Balde said, "I heard the sound of vehicles speeding by. I rushed to the window and heard automatic gunfire." Another resident reported hearing gunfire inside the prison but said, "as we speak, things have calmed down," adding uncertainty about how long the calm would last. This central prison has a history of violence. In 2023, armed commandos attacked it during a jailbreak that freed former President Moussa Dadis Camara. Authorities have not yet commented on the recent incident or the cause of the gunfire.