Congo’s army says it has “foiled a coup” early Sunday morning and arrested the perpetrators, including several foreigners, following a shootout between armed men in military uniform and a top politician’s guards that left three people dead in the capital, Kinshasa.

The attempted coup d’état was “nipped in the bud by Congolese defence and security forces (and) the situation is under control”, Congolese army spokesperson Brigadier General Sylvain Ekenge said at a media briefing. He did not give further details.