The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) army quashed an attempted coup against President Felix Tshikedi in Kinshasa early Sunday, an incident that led to the death of the ringleader and the arrest of 50 individuals, including three American citizens.
Sylvain Ekenge, a spokesman for the army, said gunfire rang out around 4am in the capital as a group of assailants in army uniform attacked the presidency in the city centre.
Another attack took place at the nearby home of Vital Kamerhe, a close ally of President Tshikedi who is tipped to become speaker. Witnesses said about 20 assailants stormed into the resident and an exchange of fire followed, leaving two guards and one assailant dead.
Christian Malanga, a US-based Congolese politician, was the leader of the attempted coup.
“Malanga was definitively neutralised during the attack on the Palais de la Nation, a certain Aboubacar was neutralised during the attack on the residence of Vital Kamarhe; and the others – around 50, including three American citizens – were arrested,” Ekenge told Reuters on Sunday.
Malanga is said to have staged another failed coup in 2017, with allegations now emerging that one of the American citizens arrested was his son.
A Facebook page, seemingly belonging to Malanga, shared a live-streamed video depicting what seemed to be the attack.
“We, the militants, are tired. We cannot drag on with Tshisekedi and Kamerhe, they have done too many stupid things in this country,” Malanga said in Lingala in the video.
President Tshikedi has not commented on the matter so far.
Meanwhile, US ambassador to the DRC Lucy Tamlyn said in a post on social media that she was “very concerned” by reports that Americans had allegedly been involved in the attempted coup.
“Please be assured that we will cooperate with the DRC authorities to the fullest extent as they investigate these criminal acts and hold accountable any US citizen involved,” she said.
The American embassy had earlier issued a security alert warning of “ongoing activity by DRC security elements” and reports of heavy gunfire in the vicinity.
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