The Congo-Brazzaville government has refuted reports of attempted coup against President Denis Nguesso, who has been in power for 39 years.
This is coming following unconfirmed social media reports that the military was trying to oust the 79-year old leader, who is currently in New York for the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Nguesso rose to power in the oil-producing central African country in a military coup in 1979. He lost Congo’s first multi-party elections in 1992 but regained power in 1997 after a civil war.
The Congolese leader is the third-longest serving president in Africa, after Equatoguinean Teodoro Obiang and Cameroonian Paul Biya.
