Military coup attempt quashed in Gabon

The Gabonese government said Monday it has quashed a coup attempt in the country.

Government spokesman Guy-Bertran Mapangou told reporters that soldiers who briefly took over the national radio on Monday morning had been arrested.

Mapangou stressed that the situation is back in control while the country's president is recovering from a stroke abroad.

The African Union (AU) Commission strongly condemned the coup attempt.

Faki Mahamat, chairman of the commission, said in a tweet: "The African Union strongly condemns the coup attempt this morning in Gabon. I reaffirm the AU’s total rejection of the unconstitutional change of government.”