Equatorial Guinea says it thwarted an attempted "coup" in late December against the government of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Africa's longest-serving leader. Nicolas Obama Nchama, the country's security minister, was quoted by Al Jazeera as saying that at least 30 armed mercenaries from Chad, Sudan and the Central African Republic with the support of Guinean opposition forces just before Christmas, attempted to oust Mbasogo.
"The mercenaries ... were recruited by Equatorial Guinean militants from certain radical opposition parties with the support of certain powers"
AFP had reported on Wednesday that Guinean security forces clashed with mercenaries, reportedly killing one, near the border although the attempted putsch took place in the night between December 27 and 28.
Mbasogo has been in power since 1979.
Human Rights Watch, says "Corruption, poverty, and repression has continued to plague Equatorial Guinea under his rule". It added that "mismanagement of public funds and credible allegations of high-level corruption persist, as do other serious abuses, including torture, arbitrary detention, and unfair trials".
