DR Congo army says it stopped coup attempt

STORY: The Democratic Republic of Congo army says it stopped an attempted coup on Sunday.

Here’s Army Spokesman Sylvain Ekenge.

“The armed forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo inform our citizens and the international community that an attempted coup d'état has been nipped in the bud by the defense and security forces."

“The attempt involved foreigners and Congolese. These foreigners and Congolese were put out of action, including their leaders.”

Ekenge told Reuters that some 50 people had been arrested, including three American citizens,

and that the leader of the operation had been killed.

A Reuters reporter said gunfire rang out around 4 a.m. in the capital Kinshasa.

Ekenge said armed men attacked the presidency in the city center.

Another attack took place at the nearby home of Vital Kamerhe, a member of parliament who is tipped to become speaker.

Accounts of the second attack came in posts on X by the Japanese ambassador and Kamerhe’s spokesman, who said that two guards and an attacker had been killed at the residence.

Ekenge named the leader of the attempted coup as Christian Malanga, a U.S.-based Congolese politician.

A live-streamed video on Facebook showed Malanga inside the presidential palace shortly before he was killed by authorities.

Malanga is seen railing against the Congo president Felix Tshisekedi and his ally Kamerhe, the suspected target of the reported second attack.

“We, the military, are tired. We can't put up with Tshisekedi and Kamerhe any longer; they've messed up this country too much. We've lived abroad, and when we see the social situation of the soldiers' children, it's unacceptable. Félix must go. Felix, you’re out!”

Tshisekedi was re-elected for a second term as president in December, but has yet to name a government.

In the wake of the attack on Sunday, residents of Kinshasa were left with more questions than answers.

"We don't even know who these people are. What is happening in the country is not right. The Palace of the Nation has always been very secure - how did they get there?"

US Ambassador Lucy Tamlyn said in a post on social media that she was "very concerned" by the reported involvement of American citizens, and that the embassy would cooperate fully with authorities in their investigation.

The United Nations' stabilization mission in the DRC said that its chief condemned the incidents in the strongest terms.