Breaking: Attempted Coup In The Gambia As Soldiers Lock Down Capital After Overnight Shooting

Gunfire erupted in Gambia’s capital Banjul overnight and soldiers blocked the bridge that provides access to the center of the seaside city on Tuesday morning, residents tell Reuters News Agency.

A diplomat said unknown gunmen had attacked State House during the night but shooting died down later. There were reports on local media and on Twitter of an attempted coup but there was no immediate comment from the authorities.

Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh, who came to power in a coup 20 years ago, has stifled dissent in the tiny West African nation during his rule and faced increased criticism from abroad over a poor human rights record.

See tweets by a Gambian Journalist minutes ago..

BREAKING: COUP attempt by soldiers foiled, gunfire heard in the capital of the #Gambia. reports commercial port taken control by fighters.

— Mohammed Abdi (@MohammedHOA) December 30, 2014

BREAKING: UNCONFIRMED reports coming out of #Gambia of an ongoing coup. president Jameh reportedly in #France.

— Mohammed Abdi (@MohammedHOA) December 30, 2014

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Jammeh who grabbed control of Gambia in a military coup in 1994, promising to turn the country back to democratic rule four years later.