Congolese Army Foils Coup Attempt Targeting President Tshisekedi and Senior Officials
The army in the Democratic Republic of Congo announced it had thwarted a coup attempt when gunmen attempted to attack the residences of high-ranking government officials, including President Felix Tshisekedi.
According to reports, gunmen dressed in military uniforms infiltrated the Palais de la Nation, the President’s residence in Kinshasa, with intentions to depose President Tshisekedi and Vital Kamerhe, a close associate of the President and the sole candidate for the Speaker of the National Assembly.
Eyewitnesses recounted intense gunfire as the attackers hoisted the flag of Zaire in various locations around the Palais de la Nation. Zaire is the former name of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Congolese army described the incident as “an attempted coup d’état that was thwarted by the defense and security forces,” stated Maj-Gen Sylvain Ekenge, spokesperson for the Congolese army. He mentioned that the perpetrators, including their leader, comprised both Congolese and foreigners, and they had been neutralized.
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“While awaiting a detailed report on the incidents in the commune of Gombe on the night of Sunday, May 19, 2024, we wish to assure the national and international community that our defense and security forces swiftly restored public order, disrupted by the armed men,” said Peter Kazadi, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the Interior and Security.
The incident alarmed Kinshasa early in the morning. Images of the attackers are currently spreading widely on social media.
These images depict an armed man in military attire with a Zaire crest and flag, shouting: “Félix, get out, we soldiers are tired of suffering. Today, we wake up in a new country. We can no longer continue with Félix or Kamerhe.”
The man was later identified as Christian Malanga, who claims to have grown up abroad. The clashes resulted in several fatalities, though the official count is yet to be confirmed.
Simultaneously with the attack on the Palais de la Nation, there was another assault on the home of Vital Kamerhe, an ally of President Félix Tshisekedi. During the confrontation at Kamerhe’s residence, two police officers were killed, along with one of the attackers.
Congolese Army Foils Coup Attempt Targeting President Tshisekedi and Senior Officials