It was not immediately clear who was firing the gunshots.
Heavy gunfire was heard on Tuesday in the capital of Guinea-Bissau near a government compound, where a cabinet meeting was being held, a Reuters reporter said.
It was not immediately clear who was firing the gunshots.
A security source with contacts inside the building said people had been hit by the gunfire.
Another source told Reuters two people were dead, but it was unclear if they were security forces or those who launched the attack.
Political instability has blighted the country for decades. Nine coups or attempted coups since independence from Portugal in 1974 have hobbled efforts to pull the economy beyond its reliance on the export of cashew nuts.
Similarly, there was recently a coup d'état in Mali which began on the night of May 24, 2021 when the Malian Army led by Vice President Assimi Goïta, captured President Bah N'daw, Prime Minister Moctar Ouane and Minister of Defence Souleymane Doucouré.
Also, a coup d'état was launched in Burkina Faso on January 23, 2022. Gunfire erupted in front of the presidential residence in the Burkinabé capital, Ouagadougou and several military barracks around the city. Soldiers were reported to have seized control of the military base in the capital.