Military coup in African country Lesotho; PM flees to South Africa

Lesotho, Aug 30: The prime minister of the southern African kingdom of Lesotho, reportedly, confirmed that the country has been taken over by the army through a military coup.

The PM has fled to South Africa, alleging his life is in danger, said a Al Jazeera report. The army has captured all the government buildings, said the report.

Thomas Thabane said he would return from South Africa "as soon as I know I am not going to get killed", said the report. However, the army denied staging a coup.

Military coups are not new in South Africa. Lesotho has seen a series of military coups since independence in 1966.

On Saturday morning, the military seized control of the police headquarters and jammed radio stations and phones, a government minister told the AFP news agency.

Lesotho was going through a political turmoil for some time now. After the deputy prime minister Mothetjoa Metsing vowed to form a new coalition and oust Thabane, the PM suspended the country's parliament.

Oneindia News