PRETORIA, August 30. /TASS/. The commander of the Republican Guard of Gabon, General Brice Clothaire Oligui Nguema is joining the leaders of the coup d'etat, the Al-Jazeera television channel has said.

In that African country arrests are being held, he notes. Some government members have been detained and charged with treason. Earlier, the AFP news agency reported that Gabon’s President Ali Bongo Ondimba is under house arrest. One of his sons has also been arrested and charged with treason.

The Republican Guard has 2,500 soldiers. It provides protection for the head of state and other top state officials. In 2019, part of the Guard participated in a failed coup attempt, led by Lieutenant Kelly Ondo Obiang.