The Congolese army has reported the death of Christian Malanga, the leader behind a foiled coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The military also claimed to have arrested around fifty individuals, including three American citizens.
The coup attempt unfolded with gunfire erupting around 4 am in Kinshasa as armed assailants targeted the presidency located in the city center. Christian Malanga, an opposition figure in exile in the United States, was identified as orchestrating the attack on the Palais de la Nation. He was reportedly neutralized during the assault.
Malanga, aged 41 and a former soldier, had a long-standing opposition to the DRC government. He previously lived in the United States and ran in the 2011 legislative elections in the DRC as an opposition candidate. His candidacy was marked by his arrest for openly opposing then-President Joseph Kabila.
Malanga posted a live video from inside the presidential palace on a Facebook account believed to be his. Surrounded by armed men, he issued threats against Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi.
General Sylvain Ekenge, an army spokesperson, confirmed the attack on the presidency but did not specify whether President Tshisekedi was present at the time. Concurrently, another attack occurred at the home of Vital Kamerhe, a prominent parliament member expected to become the next Speaker. Moto Muhima reported that two guards and one attacker died during this incident.
The violence had repercussions beyond the DRC’s borders. A shell fired from Kinshasa landed in Brazzaville, the capital of the neighboring Republic of Congo, injuring several people.