Information that American citizens were among those detained began to spread shortly after local authorities announced that they had thwarted the coup attempt that occurred over the weekend. Local media published clips said to be of two American men. As proof, they also posted a photo of the one man's passport, which shows he is from Maryland.
The US State Department wrote in a statement that it considered the information “disturbing.”
“We are closely monitoring the situation,” the US State Department wrote. CNN.
The coup attempt occurred early Sunday. The military says the coup plotters were looking to oust President Felix Tshisekedi.
“Foreigners, Congolese and their leaders can no longer do any harm,” defense spokesman Sylvain Ekeng told the state-controlled RTNC network after the coup attempt was thwarted.
Photo: Lemoton Stefan/TT
He was killed during the coup attempt Exiled Congolese politician Christian Malanga, Ekeng tells the AP. Malanga has been singled out as the mastermind behind the coup, and on Sunday he released a video from inside the presidential palace in which he threatened President Tshisekedi.
Christian Malanga has been living in exile since the 1990s, first in Swaziland and later in the United States. Over time, it became a unifying voice for disaffected expatriates and looked up to dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who was ousted in 1997 when the country was called Zaire.
Congolese intelligence had previously suspected Malanga of trying to assassinate former president Joseph Kabila.
Just days ago After the coup attempt, Malanga declared that his followers would “soon enjoy the liberation of New Zaire.”
A video clip showed that the second target of the coup was powerful MP Vital Kamerhi BBC Participated in. There, Malanga says in Lingala that he “can no longer walk with Vital Kamerhe and President Felix Tshisekedi.
Camerhi's house was attacked during the coup attempt. The army was able to repel the attackers from the house of the former Speaker of Parliament in what was described as a bloody battle.
Read more: Despite criticism, Rwandan rebels continue their advance in Congo
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