Shots Fired As DR Congo Military Thwarts ‘Coup Attempt’ (Video)

An attempted coup involving “foreigners and Congolese” was foiled by the DR Congo military on Sunday close to President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices in Kinshasa, according to an army official.

The attempted coup occurred in the wee hours of the morning outside the Gombe neighborhood in the northern part of the capital, close to the president’s offices in the Palais de la Nation. Vital Kamerhe is the minister of economics.

“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”.

There were reportedly gunshots heard close to the Palais de la Nation during the coup attempt, according to many accounts.

Ekenge withheld further information on the coup attempt. Additionally, AFP reached out to government sources, but has not heard back as of yet.

Later in the morning, AFP reporters said, things in the city were quiet.

Early in the morning, reports of an armed man attack on Kamerhe’s house went viral on social media. Some of the attackers reportedly made their way to the Palais de la Nation. [CONTINUE READING HERE]