At least three Americans have been arrested following a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that led to multiple fatalities, including the death of the alleged coup leader.
The DRC military announced that they thwarted the coup early this morning near the presidential palace in Kinshasa. Among the 50 individuals involved in the attack were three Americans, whose identities remain undisclosed. However, a passport belonging to one of the Americans, a 36-year-old U.S. citizen born in Maryland, has surfaced online, intensifying public interest.
Christian Malanga, a US-based Congolese politician and leader of the attempted coup, was killed at the scene after resisting arrest, according to military sources. Malanga had posted a video on Facebook prior to the coup, threatening Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi. In the video, a person with an American accent can be heard before Malanga begins his speech.
During the attempted coup, a shootout occurred at the residence of Deputy Prime Minister Vital Kamerhe, resulting in the deaths of at least three people, including two police officers and an attacker.
One of the arrested Americans is reportedly Malanga’s son, although further details about the detainees have not been released. The U.S. Ambassador to Congo, Lucy Tamlyn, expressed deep concern over the involvement of American citizens, stating that the U.S. embassy is fully cooperating with Congolese authorities in their investigation.
“The U.S. embassy is cooperating with DRC authorities to the fullest extent as they investigate these criminal acts and hold accountable any U.S. citizens involved in criminal acts,” said Ambassador Tamlyn.
The U.S. State Department has yet to issue an official statement on the arrests and the broader implications for U.S.-Congo relations.
Background
The Democratic Republic of Congo has been embroiled in ongoing violence for years, with conflict between the military and ethnic Tutsi rebel groups threatening to escalate into a broader war with neighboring Rwanda. The country has also faced significant political instability following the contentious re-election of President Tshisekedi last December. Parliamentary elections, originally scheduled for Sunday, were delayed, coinciding with the day of the attempted coup.
Christian Malanga, a fringe politician, led the United Congolese Party and the “New Zaire” movement—a reference to the country’s name until 1997 under the dictatorship of Mobutu Sese Seko. Malanga lived in Salt Lake City for years as a refugee and claimed to have been a member of the JROTC in the U.S. before returning to the DRC to join the military. In the video posted on Sunday, Malanga and his associates, dressed in military fatigues, unfurled the former flag of Zaire while shouting, “Felix, we’re coming for you.”
As the situation develops, further details are expected to emerge regarding the motives behind the coup attempt and the potential repercussions for those involved.
Credit: Forbes
