The government says some soldiers of the Gambian army "were plotting to overthrow the democratically elected government" of President Adama Barrow.

Gambian authorities have foiled a military coup, the government said on Wednesday.

Four soldiers had been arrested and three alleged accomplices were on the run, a statement said, adding that they were trying to overthrow President Adama Barrow's administration.

The government said the "situation is under total control and there is no need to panic."

It provided few details about what exactly happened, but, according to some witness accounts, there were soldier movements around the presidential headquarters in the center of the capital, Banjul.

Barrow faced coup attempt before

It is unclear who exactly was behind Tuesday's attempt.

Barrow defeated former dictator Yahya Jammeh in presidential elections in December 2016 and won a second term in elections last year.

Jammeh was forced into exile after refusing to accept defeat. In a phone call to a rally in The Gambia on Saturday, he said he would return soon and would lead the country once more.

Eight former soldiers led by one of his former military aides plotted to overthrow Barrow the year after he came to power. They were sentenced to jail in 2019 on treason and conspiracy, charges they denied.

There were however no details in the government's statement on whether the latest coup attempt was linked to the previous regime.

(AFP, Reuters)