PARIS, July 27. /TASS/. President of Niger Mohamed Bazoum is being held at his official residence in Niamey, capital of the West African nation, and is in fine condition, Nigerien Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massoudou said in an interview with France 24 television.

"He is being held at his residence; he is in good health," Massoudou noted. "We call for releasing him without preconditions," he added.

Massoudou said that the incident did not pertain to an actual coup, but merely an attempted coup. "There was an attempt to carry out a coup, which we clearly cannot accept. First, not all of the army is involved in the coup as the military authorities have yet to take a position. Second, Niger’s people no longer accept such things," the top diplomat said, adding that the time "is long gone" when it was possible to seize power in the country by force.

Earlier, mutineers announced that President Bazoum had been removed from power and the landlocked country’s borders had been closed. In a statement broadcast on national television, they promised to guarantee the personal immunity of former government officials. They also declared a nationwide curfew from 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. The work of all institutions has been suspended in Niger.