DR Congo army thwarts coup attempt, arrests perpetrators

By Byobe Malenga

KINSHASA, DRC (AA) — The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) military claimed Sunday it had foiled an attempted coup in the capital Kinshasa, arresting several individuals involved in the plot.

“We have neutralized the perpetrators of this attempted coup and some of them have been arrested,” a military spokesperson Gen. Sylvain Ekenge said.

The announcement follows the dramatic events overnight, when armed men attacked the residence of Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe and briefly entered the Palais de la Nation, the symbolic seat of the Congolese presidency in Kinshasa.

Around 4:30 a.m. local time (0330GMT), gunshots were heard in the Gombe district when around 20 attackers in military fatigue, and reportedly belonging to the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), attempted to storm the Kamerhe residence.

Two police officers responsible for the minister’s protection were killed while one of the attackers was also slain. Vital Kamerhe and his family, however, are safe.

The attackers then headed toward the Palais de la Nation, where the office of President Felix Tshisekedi is located.

In a video message, the apparent leader of the attackers, Christian Malanga, said: “We are tired and we cannot hang around with Tshisekedi and Kamerhe, they have done too many stupid things in this country,” he said in Lingala.

The army later said it discovered Canadian and American passports on some of the attackers, raising questions about the possible involvement of members of the diaspora in the coup attempt.

Military spokesperson Ekenge said the situation was now under control and urged Kinshasa residents to go about their business freely.

The United States Embassy was reportedly looking at the information on American citizens allegedly involved in the incident and was ready to cooperate with the DRC authorities.