DR Congo army says it has thwarted attempted coup in Kinshasa
The DR Congo military on Sunday thwarted an attempted coup near the offices of President Felix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa involving “foreigners and Congolese”, the army spokesperson said.
Issued on: Modified:
The coup bid took place in the early hours of the morning outside the residence of economy minister Vital Kamerhe, in the Gombe area in the north of the capital, near the Palais de la Nation which houses the president’s offices.
“An attempted coup d’etat has been stopped by the defence and security forces,” said General Sylvain Ekenge in a message broadcast on national television.
He added that the “foreigners and Congolese... including their leader” would “all no longer cause any harm”.
Shots were also heard near the Palais de la Nation at the time of the coup attempt, according to a number of sources.
Ekenge did not give any more details on the coup attempt. AFP also contacted official sources but has so far received no reply.
‘Shocked by the events’
“I am shocked by the events this morning and very worried by the reports of American citizens allegedly involved,” Lucy Tamlyn, the US ambassador to the DRC, posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“Rest assured that we are cooperating with authorities in DRC to the fullest extent possible, as they investigate these criminal acts and hold accountable any American citizen involved.”
Je suis choquée par les événements de ce matin et très préoccupée par les rapports faisant état de citoyens américains prétendument impliqués. Soyez assurés que nous coopérerons avec les autorités de la RDC dans toute la mesure du possible alors qu’elles enquêtent sur ces actes…
— Ambassadeur Lucy Tamlyn (@USAmbDRC) May 19, 2024
A number of people were also injured in Brazzaville, when a shell from Kinshasa fell into a neighbourhood in the capital of the Republic of Congo, which sits just across the Congo river from the DRC.
“A few people have been lightly injured, one of whom has been transported to the army hospital of Brazzaville for treatment by the health service,” government spokesperson and Minister of Communication and Media Thierry Moungalla said in a statement.
During the day certain streets near the Palais de la Nation remained closed to traffic, but the situation appeared calm, AFP journalists reported.
Reports began to circulate on social media in the early morning of an attack on Kamerhe’s home by armed men, some of whom then went to the Palais de la Nation.
There was “an armed attack” this morning at the residence of the economy minister, Japan’s ambassador to Kinshasa Hidetoshi Ogawa wrote on X.
Kamerhe “was not harmed... (but) two policemen and an assailant were killed according to sources”, he added.
Le Vice Premier Ministre lui-même n'a pas été touché, mais il y reste encore des tirs de fusils d'après des habitants au quartier à 06h24. Deux policiers et un assaillant sont morts d'après les sources informée.
— Hidetoshi OGAWA - Ambassadeur du Japon en RDC (@HideOGAWA_AmbJP) May 19, 2024
06:24現在Boudouin通り付近でも引き続き銃声があるとのこと、安全第一で
France’s ambassador reported automatic weapons fire in the quarter, urging nationals to avoid the area.
Zaire flags
Videos on social media showed men in fatigues at the Palais de la Nation, brandishing flags of Zaire, the name of the Democratic Republic of Congo under the dictator Mobutu Sese Seko who was overthrown in 1997.
AFP was unable to verify the videos.
Several heavily armed military vehicles drove from the Palais de la Nation towards a large intersection, also in Gombe, AFP witnessed.
Construction blocks obstructed the road leading to the Palais de la Nation, while soldiers on foot blocked access to a boulevard near Tshisekedi’s offices.
Tshisekedi was re-elected at the end of December when he received more than 70 percent of votes in the first round.
But he is yet to form a government some five months after the elections.
Kamerhe was named on April 23 as a candidate for president of the National Assembly, the DRC’s main legislative body.
(AFP)
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