Mutinous soldiers in Gabon say they’ve ousted president

Coup began within minutes of him being declared winner of an election

Mutinous soldiers in Gabon said Wednesday they were seizing power to overturn the results of a presidential election, and claimed to have arrested the president, whose family has held power for 55 years.

The coup attempt came hours after the central African country’s President Ali Bongo Ondimba, 64, was declared winner of an election marred by fears of violence.
Within minutes of the announcement, gunfire was heard in the center of the capital, Libreville. Later, a dozen uniformed soldiers appeared on state television and announced that they had seized power. Crowds took to the city’s streets to celebrate the end of Bongo’s reign, singing the national anthem with soldiers.

The soldiers intended to “dissolve all institutions of the republic,” said a spokesman for the group, whose members were drawn from the gendarme, the republican guard and other elements of the security forces. Later in the day, a second video carried on state television said the president and other people in the government have been arrested on various charges.

55
No. of years ousted president’s family has ruled

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