Situation normal in Guinea-Bissau

Government functions in the West African country of Guinea-Bissau are back to normal following what some described as a military coup, a U.N. official said. The top navy commander in the West African country, Rear Adm. Bubo Na Tchuto, was detained this week following what some authorities said was a coup attempt. The U.N. mission there said military officers attacked an army headquarters in an effort to steal weapons. The attack followed a decision by the United Nations to renew the mandate for the mission there through February 2013. Joseph Mutaboba, U.N. special envoy to Guinea-Bissau, said the country has made progress but reforms were needed in the military, security and judicial sectors. Vladimir Monteiro, a spokesman for the U.N. peace-building officer in Guinea-Bissau, said his office had met with authorities to get an explanation about the events. The situation, however, has returned to normal following a series of arrests. "The situation is calm," he said in a statement. "The government is also functioning." The country's prime minister, Carlos Gomes Jr., was held briefly by army soldiers last year following an attempted coup. African Union leaders in the country expressed concern over the state of affairs in the West African country but noted the situation had normalized. The country's leaders said they would set up a commission to investigate the situation.