30 armed men arrested following failed coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea
Authorities in Equatorial Guinea say they foiled an attempted coup in
late December which led to the arrest of at least 30 armed men in
Cameroon, near the border with Equatorial Guinea.
The country's Security Minister Nicholas Obama Nchama said radical opposition parties had recruited mercenaries to overthrow the government of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who has been in power for nearly 40 years.
He said the coup attempt had been foiled with the help of the
Cameroonian security services. The alleged mercenaries from Chad,
Cameroon and the Central African Republic (CAR) were found with rocket
launchers, rifles and large amounts of ammunition.
Obiang's government is often accused of corruption and human rights
abuses. An infamous failed coup attempt was led 14 years ago by former
British soldier Simon Mann. The former commando and businessman was
arrested in Zimbabwe in 2004 and extradited four years later to
Equatorial Guinea, where he was sentenced to 34 years in prison. One
year later he was released after being pardoned by Mr Obiang.
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