MASERU: Military coup reportedly mounted in an African country, Kingdom of Lesotho, on Saturday while the Prime Minister Thomas Thabane has been forced out to South Africa during his scheduled visit, foreign media reported.
Government and police buildings have been surrounded by military units during an alleged coup in Lesotho amid gunfire heard in small mountainous southern African kingdom.
PM Tom Thabane told foreign media from South Africa that military coup staged in his country as army seized control of various government, media and security agencies’ buildings.
A lawmaker of the ruling coalition party told AFP that the military seized control of the tiny police headquarters and jammed radio stations and phones in the early hours on Saturday.
On the other hand, Lesotho military have denied staging coup in the country as its soldiers had returned to barracks.
Thabane told BBC that he fled to the neighbouring country, South Africa, where he is planning to return soon after confirmation of his life security.
Lesotho PM further said that he will hold meetings with South African leaders in order to discuss the political crisis after emergence of severe differences with rival factions of the two-year-old governing coalition.
Whereas, Major Ntlele Ntoi told Reuters that no military coup took place in the country and the situation has returned to normalcy after return of military troops to their barracks.
Ntoi said that military supports the democratic government of the day while the army action injures one soldier and four policemen.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription
