Little is known about Col Doumbouya's early life, except that he is a Malinke like President Conde and hails from Guinea's eastern Kankan Region.

He was based in Forecariah, western Guinea, where he served under the bureau of territorial surveillance and the general intelligence services.

Col Doumbouya reportedly attended the War College in Paris, France.

He has 15 years of military experience that includes operational missions in Afghanistan, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Central African Republic and close protection in Israel, Cyprus, UK and Guinea.

The colonel is said to have "brilliantly completed" the operational protection specialist training at the International Security Academy in Israel, the unit commanders' training course at Senegal's Infantry Application School, the staff officer training in Gabon's Staff College of Libreville (EEML) and at the War College in Paris.

He served as a legionary in the French army until 2018 when President Conde asked him to return to Guinea to lead the GFS, established that year.