The chief military rebel who led a thwarted coup in Gabon on Monday has been arrested and two of his commandos killed after they stormed into a public radio station, the presidency said.
“The situation is under control,” the presidency statement said, adding that hostages had been freed from the radio station.
A group of soldiers had attempted to take power and called in a radio appeal for a popular uprising against ailing President Ali Bongo who is abroad recovering from the stroke, saying they wanted to “restore democracy” to the west African nation.
In a statement read out by a soldier, flanked by two others holding guns, they said the military had seized power from the government and called on people to “rise up”.
Security forces later entered the radio station in the capital Libreville to take it back, killing two rebel troops, arresting their leader and freeing journalists who had been forced to help rebels make their appeal.
The rebels’ message was read by a person who identified himself as Lieutenant Kelly Ondo Obiang, deputy commander of the Republican Guard and head of a previously unknown group, the Patriotic Youth Movement of the Gabonese Defence and Security Forces.
Officials earlier said five rebels had entered the building and four had been arrested. A manhunt was then launched for one of the rebels – understood to be Lt Obiang – before he was arrested.