The Government of Congo has debunked viral reports about a Sunday coup attempt against President Denis Nguesso who has been in power for 38 years, dismissing them as false and unfounded.
Mr. Thierry Moungalla who is Congo’s Minister of Information debunked the claims on Monday via a tweet on his X handle which was sighted by Africa Today News, New York.
‘URGENT – Fanciful information suggests serious events that are underway at #Brazzaville,’ he wrote on the social media platform with the statement also posted on the government’s website.
‘The Government denies this fake news. We reassure public opinion about the calm that reigns and invite people to calmly go about their activities.’
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Africa Today News, New York reports that the 78 year old Nguesso has spent 38 years at the helm of the country in central Africa. He was president from 1979 to 1992, then returned in 1997 after a civil war, and has remained in power ever since.
There has been a wave of coups across Africa with the most recent one in Gabon where the military seized power in the Central African nation.
In another report, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have signed a mutual defence pact, as the three Sahel countries continues on their quest to help each other against possible threats of armed rebellion or external aggression.
The charter, which has been named – the Alliance of Sahel States, signed on Saturday night binds the signatories to assist one another – including militarily – in the event of an attack on any one of them.
“Any attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of one or more contracted parties will be considered an aggression against the other parties,” it says. It also binds the three countries to work to prevent or settle armed rebellions.
“I have today signed with the Heads of State of Burkina Faso and Niger the Liptako-Gourma charter establishing the Alliance of Sahel States, with the aim of establishing a collective defence and mutual assistance framework,” Mali military leader Assimi Goita said on his X social media account.
Africa Today News, New York reports that in recent times, the Liptako-Gourma region – where the Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger borders meet – has been ravaged by armed rebellion.