UN envoy to travel to Equatorial Guinea following attempted coup

The United Nations has confirmed that it will dispatch its envoy for West Africa Francois Lounceny Fall to Equatorial Guinea next week after reports of an attempted coup by foreign mercenaries.

UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters that “little information has emerged” about the alleged attempt to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who has held power for more than 38 years.

“We condemn all attempts to seize power unconstitutionally,” he said.

On Wednesday Equatorial Guinea’s security minister announced that his country’s military, in conjunction with Cameroonian security forces, had thwarted an attempt in late December to overthrow Nguema. This followed clashes in the country near the border with Cameroon.

The minister said opposition parties had recruited gunmen from Chad, Sudan and Central African Republic to carry out an attack on the presidential palace, supported by foreign powers he refused to name.

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s son, Mark was involved in a 2004 attempt by mercenaries to overthrow Nguema which was funded by British financiers. He was subsequently convicted and fined in South Africa.

– African News Agency (ANA)

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