2019 Gabonese coup attempt

2019 Gabonese coup d'état attempt
Part of the aftermath of the 2016 Gabonese presidential election
Gabonese Army vehicles in Libreville during the coup attempt
Date 7 January 2019 Location Libreville, Gabon 0°23′33″N 9°27′13″E / 0.39241°N 9.45356°E / 0.39241; 9.45356 Result Coup failed President Ali Bongo Ondimba appoints Julien Nkoghe Bekale as Gabon's new prime minister[1]
Commanders and leaders
President Ali Bongo Ondimba	Lt. Kelly Ondo Obiang
Strength
Armed Forces of Gabon National Gendarmerie of Gabon	Armed Forces of Gabon faction Republican Guard
Casualties and losses
	2 killed[2] 8 arrested (3 eventually convicted)[2]
Libreville class=notpageimage| Nexus of coup in Libreville (marked green), Gabon

On 7 January 2019, members of the Armed Forces of Gabon announced a coup d'état in Gabon. Military officers claimed that they had ousted President Ali Bongo, who was re-elected in 2016 after a controversial election and protests.^[3] During the absence of Ali Bongo, who was receiving medical treatment in Morocco, armed rebels in the capital city Libreville took hostages and declared that they had established a "National Restoration Council" to "restore democracy in Gabon". Widespread internet outages occurred throughout the country, though it is unknown whether the Internet was shut down by the rebels themselves or by civilians. Gabon's government later declared that it had reasserted control.