The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) army announced it had thwarted an attempted coup on Sunday, resulting in the death of the coup leader and the arrest of around 50 individuals, including three American citizens. Gunfire was reported in the capital, Kinshasa, around 4 a.m. when armed men attacked the presidential palace, according to army spokesperson Sylvain Ekenge.
The attackers also targeted the home of Vital Kamerhe, a member of parliament and candidate for speaker. Two guards and an attacker were killed in this incident. Additionally, a shell fired from Kinshasa landed in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, injuring several people, with one person hospitalized.
The coup was reportedly led by Christian Malanga, a US-based Congolese politician, who was killed during the attack on the presidential palace. Ekenge stated that Malanga had previously attempted a coup in 2017. Among those arrested was Malanga’s son, one of the reported American citizens.
A video posted on a Facebook page attributed to Malanga showed him declaring his opposition to President Felix Tshisekedi and Vital Kamerhe. US Ambassador Lucy Tamlyn expressed concern over the involvement of American citizens and assured cooperation with DRC authorities in their investigation.
The United Nations mission in the DRC condemned the incident and offered support to Congolese authorities. President Tshisekedi, who was re-elected in December, has yet to name a government following his appointment of a prime minister six weeks ago.
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