Niger 'foils coup attempt'

An attempted coup in Niger has been thwarted by the presidential guard and several soldiers have been arrested, a security source has been quoted by AFP news agency as saying. 

Heavy gunfire was heard around the presidential palace in the capital Niamey, before it died down in the early hours of Wednesday, residents said.

"There were some arrests among a few members of the army who are behind this attempted coup. The presidential Guard retaliated, preventing this group of soldiers from approaching the presidential palace," the AFP quoted the source as saying.

There has been no official comment.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

Photo: VOA