Explosions were reported in Harare early on Wednesday morning, hours after armoured personnel carriers had been spotted on the outskirts of the Zimbabwean capital and a day after the country’s army chief warned that his forces could step in to settle bitter factional infighting within President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zanu-PF party.
Reuters and The Associated Press reported that blasts had been heard and troops had been seen on the streets of Harare. The former also reported that soldiers had overrun the headquarters of the country’s state broadcaster, ZBC.
Although the military vehicles seen earlier in the day had not moved into the centre of the Zimbabwean capital, the unusual display was seen as a show of force under the guise of a training drill.