Alleged American Involvement in Foiled Coup Attempt in DR Congo
Reports suggest that American citizens were allegedly part of a thwarted coup d’état that resulted in casualties in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The military spokesperson informed CNN about the incident that occurred on Sunday, with at least three individuals losing their lives.
An attempted coup d’état in the Democratic Republic of Congo involving American citizens resulted in at least three deaths on Sunday, as reported by a military spokesperson to CNN on Monday.
The coup targeted the residence of Congolese politician Vital Kamerhe and the country’s presidential palace. It was orchestrated by opposition leader Christian Malanga, who, according to army spokesman General Sylvain Ekenge, was also a US citizen. Malanga was killed during a gun battle between the armed rebels and the presidential guards, Ekenge confirmed.
Ekenge confirmed to CNN that Christian Malanga was killed during a shootout at the presidential palace. He also mentioned that Malanga's son, Marcel, who is a US citizen, was taken into custody during the incident.
Additionally, Ekenge revealed that Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, Patrick Ducey, and Taylor Thomson, who are also American citizens, were connected to the failed coup attempt.
North Kivu province, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
North Kivu province, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
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A man named Patrick Ducey is believed to also go by the name Taylor Thomson. Officials are planning to verify his identity by checking his passport.
Videos of a man with a bloody face surrounded by Congolese military personnel were widely shared on social media, but CNN has not verified them.
In a post on social media platform X, US ambassador to the DRC, Lucy Tamlyn, expressed shock over reports of the attempted coup. She stated that the US will fully cooperate with DRC authorities in investigating these criminal acts and holding any US citizen involved accountable.
It is unclear if President Felix Tshisekedi was at the presidential palace during the recent attack that occurred after his re-election. This attack followed a disputed vote last December.
According to Ekenge, a former Congolese military veteran, Sunday's incident was the second coup attempt by the now deceased Malanga.
"He attempted it in 2017 but didn't succeed," Ekenge mentioned without going into specifics.
Malanga, aged 41, who had lived in exile in the US, was the leader of the United Congolese Party, a group that identifies as an opposition political party in exile.
A man wearing military fatigues is seen speaking inside the Palace of the Nation during an attempted coup in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo on May 19, 2024. This image is taken from a social media video.
A man in military fatigues speaks as others stand next to him inside the Palace of the Nation during an attempted coup in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 19, 2024 in this screen grab from a social media video.
In a live-streamed video on his Facebook page, Christian Malanga was seen with his son and other armed men in military attire. He criticized Tshisekedi's government and Kamerhe, accusing them of making "many stupid decisions in this country," as reported by Reuters.
The DRC government praised the quick response of the country's security forces for stopping the attack, mentioning that two police officers at politician Kamerhe's residence were fatally shot.
Despite being rich in minerals, the DRC is considered one of the five poorest countries in the world, according to the World Bank. It is the largest nation in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Armed militia groups have taken over parts of the Central African nation, launching deadly attacks against civilians as they fight for control of the country's natural resources.
Recently, there have been a series of coups in Sub-Saharan Africa, with the most recent one occurring last August in Gabon, which is located next to the DRC.
The African Union condemned Sunday’s coup attempt in the DRC and welcomed the “control of the situation” by the country’s security forces.
