Heavy Gunfire Reported near Guinea's Presidential Palace 

CONAKRY - Heavy gunfire erupted early Sunday near the presidential palace in Guinea's capital and went on for hours, witnesses said, raising security concerns in a West African nation with a long history of military power grabs and coup attempts.

The Defense Ministry later put out a statement saying that the presidential guard and other security forces had "contained the threat and repelled the group of assailants." "Security and sweeping operations are continuing to restore order and peace," the statement said. However, the statement couldn't be independently corroborated and there was no immediate comment from President Alpha Conde. State television carried music and other programming, but made no mention of the gunfire that had echoed through the Kaloum neighborhood of Conakry all morning.