Turmoil at the Top

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Security forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo said they thwarted an attempted coup Sunday, an incident that came amid an ongoing political crisis five months after the country’s presidential elections, Al Jazeera reported.

Authorities said the coup began early Sunday near the residence of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe in the capital Kinshasa, which is also in the vicinity of the presidential palace, Palais de la Nation.

Three people were killed in the shootout, including one of the alleged attackers, and all the alleged perpetrators were arrested, officials said, adding that they included Congolese citizens and foreigners, Agence France-Presse added.

The attack came as the governing party of President Felix Tshisekedi is grappling with a political crisis over the election of a parliamentary speaker. That election was supposed to take place Saturday, but was postponed.

Kamerhe was one of the candidates for that position.

A day before the election, Tshisekedi met with lawmakers and leaders of the ruling coalition in an effort to resolve the political crisis.

Tshisekedi was re-elected in December after securing more than 70 percent of the vote in a poll that was marred by accusations of opacity.

Since then, he has been unable to form a government.

The coup attempt also comes as fighting continues to rage between pro-government forces and M23 rebels vying for control in eastern Congo’s North Kivu province.

Thousands of civilians have become trapped between the combatants.