Gabon thwarts coup attempt in Prez absence

LIBREVILLE, January 7 

Gabon foiled an attempted military coup on Monday, killing two suspected plotters and capturing seven others just hours after they took over state radio in a bid to end 50 years of rule by President Ali Bongo’s family.

Government spokesman Guy-Bertrand Mapangou announced the deaths and arrests after soldiers briefly seized the radio station and broadcast a message saying Bongo was no longer fit for office after suffering a stroke in Saudi Arabia in October.

The quick failure of Monday’s coup and the lack of widespread support suggest further efforts to overthrow Bongo are unlikely, analysts said. — AFP