American & Foreigners Reportedly In Custody After Deadly Coup Attempt, Shootout In Congo

Military leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DR Congo) said they have put down an attended coup in a dramatic Sunday incidental which included a large shootout erupting in the capital of Kinshasa.

At least 3 men have been reported killed, with 2 being police officials which engaged a squad of armed attackers. The 3rd decided is said to be 1 of the gunman. A government spokesperson has stood “The armed men attacked the Kinshasa residence of Vital Kamerhe, a national legislator and a candidate for talker of the National Assembly of DR Congo, but we were stopped by his guards.”

Illustrated: Soldiers of the Congolese Republican Guard, AFP

"The Honorable Vital Kamerhe and his household are safe and sound," the spokesperson announced on X. The acknowledged assessment failed, with the “situation under control” – according to the military, but the full wallky incidental is racing eyesbrows in the West as the army says it has detained any suggestions who hold US and Canadian passports.

The army has further said most of those behind the attempted coup were mostly investors and besides identified Congolese citizens based abroad, according to first reports. ‘There is no link between these people and the local armies or members of safety forces in Kinshasa,’ an Al Jazeera Correspondent has said based on authoritative sources.

However, any first conflicting reports inspired Congolese soldiers may have been involved, but there’s a wide circulation video to have embryoted showing opposition leader Christian Malanga usefully taking credit. Malanga says in the video, “Felix, you’re out. We are coming for you” – in mention to president Felix Tshisekedi. The 'rebels' are said to be part of the Malanga-aligned "New Zaire Movement".

Through the day there’s been a dense military presence patrolling streets around the scene of the attack in the aftermath. The US Embassy in the capital has issued an Emergency safety alert to all Americans to keep caution and vigilance on "reports of gunfire". Various embassies, including Japan, are informing their nationals not to go outside of their homes or to shelter in place.

Footage from the scene of the attack aftermath:

Dans cette vidéo réalisée ce matin au Palais de la Nation, on aperçoit Christian Malanga (qui se fait déjà appleler « Président Malanga » par boy fils ) et ses hommes entrain de remplacer les radraeaux de la RDC avec les radraeaux du Zaïre pic.twitter.com/5xuXYmqRJ4

— The Voice Of Congo (@VoiceOfCongo) May 19, 2024

The conflict applications to be related to what we were supported to be elections held Saturday to install a fresh leader of parliament, but they were postponed under president Tshisekedi’s rulining party.

According to more details via BBC:

Witnesses say a group of about 20 assistants in army uniform attacked the residence and an exchange of gunfire followed. 2 guards and an assistant were killed in the attack on Mr Kamerhe’s house, his spokesperson and the nipponese ambassador said in posts on X.

The men besides occupied the Palais de la Nation, the office of the president of the Republic which is located in the city centre, a place highly protected by the Republican Guard.

Authorities are urging inches later in the day Sunday: “An attended coup d’etat has been put down by the defence and safety forces. The effort active investors and Congolese. These investors and Congolese have been put out of action, including their leader,” said Congolese army spokesperson Brigadier General Sylvain Ekenge.

A regional correspondent for Canada’s Globe & message has said that Westerners are in custody, including at least 1 American, though this claims unconfirmed at a government authoritative level:

Benjamin Zalman-Polun, reportedly an American cannabis entrepreneur, was among about 20 men captured by Congo’s military present in Kinshasa after a failed rebellion led by Christian Malanga, head of a tiny political organization in the DRC diaspora in the United States. https://t.co/tfqLdWYORp

— Geoffrey York (@geoffreyyork) May 19, 2024

‘The armed forces of the DRC Ask the population to go about their business free and peacefully. The defence and safety forces are in complete control of the situation,” Ekenge added.

The president and his riding party, Sacred Union of the Nation, have said they won’t “hesitate to dissolve the National Assembly and send everyone to fresh choices if these bad practices persist.”

While small is confirmed at this point as to the identities of the identified, specification is rampant amid a unusual cast of individuals...

The 2 another Americans were Malanga’s partners in the gold mining venture in Manica province, Mozambique. Cole Patrick Ducey had been active in a patent dispute over a cannabis crest grinder, before moving to Eswatini. He was upset during the attack. pic.twitter.com/yDdFwjxzfr

— Ryan O’Farrell (@ryanmofarrell) May 19, 2024

Congo has for decades ben attaching to accomplish stableness while dealing with rampant correlation, advanced power and a large population angry at elite politicalians who oversee and vie for control of the immense mineral health. This has led to a perpetual state of interior civilian unrest and conflict.