The leader of an attempted coup on Sunday, May 19, 2024, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been killed, and approximately 50 individuals, including three American citizens, have been arrested, according to a spokesman for the Central African country’s army.
Gunfire erupted around 4 a.m. in the capital, Kinshasa, as armed men attacked the presidential residence in the city center, stated spokesman Sylvain Ekenge. Another assault occurred at the nearby home of Vital Kamerhe, a member of parliament poised to become the speaker, according to Kamerhe’s spokesman, Michel Moto Muhima, and the Japanese ambassador in posts on X.
Moto Muhima reported that two guards and an attacker were killed in that incident. Ekenge confirmed that one attacker was killed there as well.
A shell fired from Kinshasa struck the city of Brazzaville in neighboring Republic of Congo, injuring several people, with one person hospitalized, as per a statement from that country’s government. Ekenge identified Christian Malanga, a U.S.-based Congolese politician, as the leader of the attempted coup.
“Malanga was definitively neutralized during the attack on the Palais de la Nation. A certain Aboubacar was neutralized during the attack on the residence of Vital Kamerhe. The others—around 50, including three American citizens—were arrested and are currently undergoing interrogation by the specialized services of the Armed Forces,” Ekenge told Reuters. He added that Malanga had previously attempted and aborted a coup in 2017, and that one of the American citizens arrested was Malanga’s son.
A Facebook page appearing to belong to Malanga posted a live-streamed video of what seemed to be the attack. “We, the militants, are tired. We cannot drag on with Tshisekedi and Kamerhe, they have done too many stupid things in this country,” Malanga said in Lingala in the video, which Reuters has not independently verified.
U.S. Ambassador Lucy Tamlyn expressed her concern on social media about reports that American citizens were allegedly involved in the events. “Please be assured that we will cooperate with the DRC authorities to the fullest extent as they investigate these criminal acts and hold accountable any U.S. citizen involved in criminal acts,” she stated.
The U.S. embassy had earlier issued a security alert warning of “ongoing activity by DRC security elements” and reports of gunfire in the area.
The United Nations’ stabilization mission in the DRC announced that its chief, Bintou Keita, condemned the incidents in the strongest terms and offered support to the Congolese authorities in a post on X.
Tshisekedi was re-elected for a second term as president in December but has yet to name a government, six weeks after appointing a prime minister. Kamerhe was a candidate for speaker of parliament in an election that had been scheduled for Saturday but was delayed by Tshisekedi.
(Reuters)
