Army makes coups in Gabon

In Gabon's state television programme, soldiers appeared and announced that a coup was carried out to restore democracy, as they claim.

A soldier appeared on the programme reading in a statement in which it said the army had taken control of the government, the AP reports.

Residents of the capital, Liberville, said there were tanks and armed vehicles on the road.

Gabon President Ali Bongo, who has been in that position since 2009, has been out of the country since October and has allegedly suffered a brain attack. He sent a message to the people of Gabon from a hospital in Morocco.