Military Coup D’état In Niger Republic

San Francisco Feb 18, (THEWILL) – An attempt is being made to overthrow the government of Niger Republic, a country that shares a border with Nigeria up north.

"We can hear gunshots from time to time but ... the President is in his office," a security source inside the presidential palace told Reuters by telephone.

Heavy weapons and gunfire reportedly started around 1200 GMT and that smoke was seen rising from the presidential palace. Reuters said some injured soldiers have been taken to a hospital in Niamey.

An intelligence officer told the Agency that the violence was a coup attempt that the presidential guard was trying to put down.

A French diplomatic source said: "There was apparently an attempted coup d’état, "Shots were heard in the barracks of the presidential guard."

Niger is currently suspended from ECOWAS.