It has indeed been confirmed that Nino Vieira has been asssassinated by elements from the Guinea Bissau military.

The following report is culled from the BBC website:

Guinea-Bissau president shot dead

Renegade soldiers have shot dead the president of the West African country of Guinea-Bissau, Joao Bernardo Vieira.

The news comes just hours after the killing of the army chief of staff, who had fallen out with Mr Vieira.

Gunfire has sounded in the capital Bissau, but the army has insisted no coup is under way.

Bissau is one of the world's poorest states. It has a history of coups and has become a major transit point for trafficking cocaine to Europe.

Reports quoted military and government officials as saying the president was dead.

It's not only the assassination of a president or a chief of staff, it's the assassination of democracy Mohamed Ibn Chambas Ecowas

"President Vieira was killed by the army as he tried to flee his house which was being attacked by a group of soldiers close to the chief of staff Tagme Na Waie, early this morning," military spokesman Zamora Induta told AFP news agency.

He accused Mr Vieira of being responsible for the death of the army chief of staff.

The African Union and the regional body Ecowas have both condemned the president's assassination.

'No coup'

Chief of staff Gen Tagme died after a blast late on Sunday that destroyed part of the military headquarters.

LIFE OF JOAO BERNARDO VIEIRA Born in 1939 Electrician by trade Key figure in struggle against Portuguese colonial rule Came to power in coup in 1980, as head of armed forces Returned to power in 1994 after permitting country's first multi-party elections, but overthrown five years later Returned from asylum in 2005 to win presidential election Obituary: President Vieira

Following the attack on the military HQ, officers ordered two private radio stations in the city to cease broadcasting.

Armed forces spokesman Samuel Fernandes told reporters at one station: "We are going to pursue the attackers and avenge ourselves".

In a statement on state radio following Mr Vieira's death, the military insisted no coup was in progress. The armed forces statement said the military would respect the constitutional order - in which the head of the parliament succeeds the president in the event of his death.

The president and army chief are said to have been at odds for months.

Renegade soldiers last November attacked the presidential palace with automatic weapons in a failed coup attempt.

The African Union condemned the killing of 69-year-old Mr Vieira - nicknamed "Nino" - as did Mohamed Ibn Chambas from the regional economic bloc Ecowas.

"The death of a president, of a chief of staff, is very grave news," Mr Chambas told AFP.

"It's not only the assassination of a president or a chief of staff, it's the assassination of democracy," he said.

Plagued by coups

It is not yet clear who was behind the attack on Gen Tagme, but it once again highlights the country's fragility, the BBC's West Africa correspondent Will Ross says.

After last November's attack, the president was subsequently given his own 400-strong militia for protection.

In January, that militia was accused of trying to kill the head of the army and was then disbanded.

Guinea-Bissau has been plagued by coups and political unrest since it gained independence from Portugal in 1974.

President Vieira, just like the country's previous leaders, has relied on the army to stay in power, and personal rifts have made it a rocky relationship, our correspondent says.

Guinea-Bissau - a major transit point for Latin American cocaine headed for Europe - has also been destabilised by the effects of drug trafficking.

Some officials in the army are known to have become involved in the trade, our correspondent says.