|
Attempted Coup in Congo Report by Paul Harris, YellowTimes.org NewsFromtheFront.org TORONTO (NFTF.org) -- A group of rebels took over the national television station in Kinshasa overnight last night in an apparent attempt to launch a coup against the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) (Background Report) government. There were reports of heavy gunfire in the streets near the official residence of President Joseph Kabila and the rebels apparently announced over the air that they were in control. However, since the television station is normally off the air overnight, the message went largely unnoticed. The rebels are thought to be lead by Major Eric Lenge who is said to be close to President Kabila. He is also closely aligned with a number of hardliners who were excluded from seats in the transitional parliament which was negotiated following the end of DRC's civil war last year. Kinshasa has announced that troops loyal to the government retook the television station quickly and the rebels have since fled. There were 12 arrests but Lenge is said to have escaped from the city with 21 armed men and is presently being hunted by the army. This is the second attempted coup, the first coming in March this year. It is also the latest blow to the fragile peace process in DRC and comes less than a week after the fall and recapture of Bukavu, capital of the province of South Kivu. |
