France has suspended military cooperation with Guinea in response to the west African country's "savage and bloody crackdown" by the security forces on opposition demonstrators calling on its military ruler to step down.

The violence on Monday in the capital Conakry was the worst since Captain Moussa Dadis Camara seized control of the former French colony in December 2008. About 50,000 people were protesting over claims that Captain Camara intends running for president in elections scheduled for next January. After firing live rounds of ammunition at the crowds, the security forces moved in and bayoneted the wounded. There are widespread reports of women having being stripped and raped in the streets.

Conakry remained tense on Tuesday, with heavily armed soldiers patrolling the streets and continued reports of abuse by the security forces. Human rights groups estimate that the death toll now stands at 157, with at least 1,250 injured. The African Union has expressed grave concern over the crackdown, condemning the "indiscriminate firing on unarmed civilians".

There has been worldwide condemnation of the violence by the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union. France is to call on other EU countries to impose sanctions against Guinea on Wednesday.