S. Africa urges Lesotho military to return to barracks

The South African government has urged the Lesotho Defence Force to return to their barracks and allow the democratically elected government of the Kingdom to carry on with its constitutional mandate. 

It says the Lesotho Defence Force took over the radio and TV stations, resulting in a total black out of broadcasting. 

The army has also taken over several police stations including the Police Headquarters. 

Over the weekend, the Lesotho military raided the house of Prime Minister Tom Thabane and seized the police headquarters and the Mabote police station in the capital of Maseru in a possible coup attempt. 

The Lesotho military refused to acknowledge that it was a coup, claiming, it took the action after receiving intelligence that police officers intended to pass arms and ammunitions to Thabane's All Basotho convention called "Under the Tree". 

XNHUA