Soldiers’ coup try fails in Gabon; plotters die

Soldiers in the oil-rich Central West African country of Gabon seized control of the national broadcaster Monday morning and issued a statement claiming they had deposed the country’s absent leader to “restore democracy.” Four hours later, a spokesman for Gabon’s government called the soldiers “mutineers” and “jokers.”

Two plotters were killed and other army officers were arrested, the government said.

Authorities regained control of state broadcasting offices and a major thoroughfare in the capital, Libreville, which were the only areas taken over by the officers, government spokesman Guy-Betrand Mapangou told Radio France International.

He said five army officers who took over state radio were arrested. Two other coup plotters were killed when security forces took over and freed some hostages, according to a presidential statement reported by RFI.

Reports from news agencies said the coup attempt was accompanied by scattered gunfire in the capital, Libreville, and videos posted on social media showed armored vehicles speeding through the streets while helicopters circled overhead.

After suffering from an apparent stroke in October, Gabon’s President Ali Bongo traveled for treatment to Saudi Arabia and then to Morocco, where he has been recovering ever since.

The leaders of the attempted coup read out a statement on state radio in the pre-dawn hours denouncing Bongo. Lt. Kelly Ondo Obiang, the leader of the group, said Bongo’s New Year’s address had “reinforced doubts about the president’s ability to continue to carry out of the responsibilities of his office.”

“If you are eating, stop; if you are having a drink, stop; if you are sleeping, wake up. Wake up your neighbors … rise up as one and take control of the street,” he said over the radio.

By midmorning on Monday, however, it appeared the coup attempt had failed.

“Calm has returned, the situation is under control,” Mapangou said, adding that the gunfire earlier was to control a crowd.