Congolese army:

“Several foreigners involved in coup attempt”

According to the government, the attempted coup has been crushed.(Bild: APA/AP)

As reported, there has apparently been an attempted coup in the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to the government, it was defeated. According to the information, "several Americans and a Briton" were involved in the attack. The leader was killed.

According to an army spokesperson, a "naturalized Briton was the number two in the group". Around 40 attackers were arrested and four were killed, Sylvian Ekenge explained on state television on Sunday evening. The group had "tried to attack the institutions". Initially, the residences of Prime Minister Judith Suminwa and Defense Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba were the targets in the capital Kinshasa.

President Felix Tshisekedi and his family were unharmed.(Bild: APA/AFP/Ludovic MARIN)

However, the attackers were apparently unable to locate their homes - and then raided the residence of Minister of Economy Vital Kamerhe in the Gombe district. The building is not far from the Palace of the Nation, the official residence of Head of State Félix Tshisekedi. Kamerhe and his family were unharmed, but two police officers protecting them were killed, according to a source close to the minister. 

USA concerned about arrested citizens
The African Union declared late on Sunday evening that its head was following the events "with great concern." The chairman of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, condemned "this attempted coup d'état in the strongest terms and welcomes the control of the situation announced by the country's defense and security forces."

US Ambassador Lucy Tamlyn expressed her "deep concern about the reports of American citizens allegedly involved in the attempted coup against the Congolese authorities". The embassy is cooperating with the authorities, Tamlyn assured the online service X. Meanwhile, footage of the arrest of the foreign nationals went viral on social media (see video above). 

According to journalists from the AFP news agency, several streets near the Palace of the Nation remained closed on Sunday, but the situation seemed calm. "I am a bit scared to move around Gombe, there are not many people around. But I have to sell my goods," said bread seller Jean-Mbuta.