The government of Congo-Brazzaville has refuted rumors of an attempted coup against President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who has been in office for 39 years.
These rumors had circulated on social media amid claims that the military sought to remove the 79-year-old leader, who is presently in the United States attending a UN summit alongside other global leaders.
“The government denies this fake news,” Information Minister Thierry Moungalla posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, saying he wanted to reassure members of the public they could “go about their activities calmly”.
The government’s official website also issued a statement refuting the claims of a coup attempt.
Recent months have witnessed a surge in coup d’états across Africa, with the most recent occurring in neighboring Gabon, where the military assumed control in August.
Mr. Sassou Nguesso came to power through a military coup in 1979 in the oil-rich central African nation. Although he lost Congo’s initial multi-party elections in 1992, he reclaimed power in 1997 following a civil war.
Currently, the Congolese leader ranks as the third-longest serving president in Africa, following Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea and Paul Biya of Cameroon.