Gabon kills 2 leaders of aborted coup

The chief military rebel who led a failed coup in Gabon on
Monday has been arrested and two of his commandos killed after they
stormed a public radio station, the presidency said.

A group of soldiers attempted to take power and called in a
radio appeal for a popular uprising against ailing President Ali
Bongo, who is abroad recovering from a stroke.

Security forces stormed the radio station in the capital
Libreville to take it back, killing two rebel troops, arresting
their leader and freeing journalists who had been forced to help
rebels make their appeal.

“The situation is under control,” the presidency statement
said.

Six rebel troops earlier Monday burst into the state radio
broadcasting station, “neutralising” gendarmes in front of the
building before making their broadcast, it said.

Officials earlier said five rebels had entered the building and
four had been arrested.

The message was read by a person who identified himself as
Lieutenant Ondo Obiang Kelly, the deputy commander of the
Republican Guard and head of a previously unknown group, the
Patriotic Youth Movement of the Gabonese Defence and Security
Forces.

He said a “national restoration council” would be formed in the
former French colony “to guarantee a democratic transition for the
Gabonese people”.

Bongo is staying at a private residence in the Moroccan capital
Rabat after suffering a stroke. He made a televised speech on New
Year’s Eve but has not been in the West African country since
October.