(Reuters) - The United States is deeply concerned by events in the oil-producing West African nation of Gabon, where military officers said on Wednesday they had seized power, White House national security spokesman John Kirby (NYSE:KEX) said.
Kirby said all U.S. embassy personnel and what he called a small number of troops had been accounted for after the officers said they had put President Ali Bongo under house arrest.
"It's deeply concerning to us. We will remain a supporter of the people in the region, a supporter of the people of Gabon and of their demand for democratic governance," he told a briefing. "We're watching this closely."
If successful, the Gabon coup would be the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020.
"I think it's too soon to call this a trend," said Kirby, adding that the United States would "remain focused on promoting democracy on the continent."