The Congo Brazzaville government refuted claims on Sunday that the military had overthrown the current civilian government led by President Denis Sassou Nguesso who has been in power for almost four decades.
After multiple unsubstantiated reports in the media claiming the military had staged a coup to destabilize the administration and seize power, Thierry Moungalla, Congo’s Minister of Communication and Media and Government Spokesperson, tweeted that the reports were “fake news” to try to reassure the public of calm in the capital.
“URGENT – Fanciful information suggests that serious events are underway in Brazzaville. The Government denies this fake news,” he posted. “We reassure public opinion on the calm that reigns and invite people to calmly go about their business.”
Concerns about a coup in Congo come just four weeks after its neighbor to the west Gabon’s military took control of its government in a bloodless coup.
A coup in Congo would mean Africa’s third coup in less than a year. The first was Niger, followed by Gabon, marking the tenth coup in West and Central Africa since 2017.
The coup claims come as Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso attends the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York City.