Gabon’s deposed President Ali Bongo Ondimba is under house arrest, the AFP news agency is quoting military officers as saying.
“President Ali Bongo is under house arrest, surrounded by his family and doctors,” they said in a statement read out on state TV.
One of the president’s sons had been arrested for “treason”, the statement reportedly added.
Internet partially restored in Gabon – Netblocks
The restoration of the internet in Gabon appears to be partial, according to the monitoring group Netblocks Internet Observatory.
It has been cut off nationwide after the elections on Saturday, in what the government said was a move to prevent the spread of false news and outbreak of violence.
It was reported that internet access had been re-established several hours after soldiers announced this morning they were annulling the result of President Bongo’s re-election.
Coup leaders put forward the head of the presidential guard
More on that latest appearance on Gabonese state TV by military officers.
The coup leaders have put forward the head of the presidential guard as the leader of the transition, according to the broadcast – as cited by French news agency AFP.
Russia joins France and China in expressing concern
More comment now from foreign powers – Russia says it is “deeply concerned” over the apparent coup in Gabon.
And France has reiterated its own anxiety over the situation; a fresh statement from Foreign Minister Olivier Véran says Paris wants the result of Gabon’s recent election to be respected.
President Ali Bongo, 64, won a third term in office in elections held on Saturday. The army now says he is under house arrest.
