Gabon thwarts military coup attempt in president’s absence
Nine suspected plotters have been caught after the failed bid to oust the Bongo family, which has ruled for near 50 years
Libreville — Gabon foiled an attempted military coup on Monday, killing two suspected plotters and capturing seven others just hours after they took over state radio in a bid to end 50 years of rule by President Ali Bongo’s family. Government spokesperson Guy-Bertrand Mapangou announced the deaths and arrests after soldiers briefly seized the radio station and broadcast a message saying Bongo was no longer fit for office after suffering a stroke in Saudi Arabia in October. The quick failure of Monday’s coup and the lack of widespread support suggest further efforts to overthrow Bongo are unlikely, analysts say, but the attempt alone shows a growing frustration with a government weakened by the president’s secretive medical leave. On December 31, in one of his first television appearances since the stroke, Bongo slurred his speech and he appeared unable to move his right arm. It is unclear if he is able to walk. He has been in Morocco since November to continue treatment. In a radio ...
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