Reuters/AFP/Johannesburg

Lesotho's military seized control of the tiny African kingdom's police headquarters and jammed radio stations and phones in the early hours Saturday, a government minister and member of the ruling coalition told AFP.

Prime Minister Thomas Thabane on Saturday accused the country's army of attempting a coup against him, he told South African ENCA television station.
"It is a military coup because it is led by the military. And the military are outside the instructions of the commander in chief, who is myself," he said by telephone.
He added that he would meet South African leaders, representing the regional Southern African Development Community later on Saturday.

But the armed forces denied attempting a coup, saying they had moved against police elements suspected of planning to arm a political faction, an army spokesman said.
"The situation has returned to normalcy ... the military has returned to their barracks," Major Ntlele Ntoi told Reuters. He added the Lesotho defence force "supports the democratically elected government of the day."

 "The armed forces, the special forces of Lesotho, have taken the headquarters of the police," sports minister and leader of the Basotho National Party Thesele Maseribane said, describing a possible coup attempt in the small nation located in eastern South Africa.

"At four o'clock this moLesotho's Primime MInister Thomas Thabanerning (0200GMT) they were driving around the residence of the prime minister and my residence," he said.
"There have been some gunfighting since 4 (am) up until 7 or 8."
"They've jammed phones, they have jammed everything," he added.
Maseribane said he fled hours earlier after being warned.
"The commander said he was looking for me, the prime minister and the deputy minster to take us to the king. In our country that means a coup," he added.
He insisted Prime Minister Tom Thabane's government was still in control.
"The prime minister and myself, (we are) still the coalition government. The prime minister is still in power."
Thabane was "fine", he added, declining to elaborate where the prime minister was.
"There's still a lot of danger. People who have arms are running around Maseru."
The government secretary was unreachable for comment.
A shaky coalition has governed the kingdom, which is entirely surrounded by South Africa, since elections two years ago.
Coalition partners patched up the fragile deal through mediators in June.

Related Story