Coup Fails in Central African Republic
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BANGUI, Central African Republic — Loyalist troops and presidential guards hunted down rebel soldiers and shot them dead in the streets Tuesday, retaking control of the Central African Republic’s capital after a failed coup.
Civilians streamed out of Bangui’s southern neighborhoods, carrying their belongings on their heads, to escape the crackdown on soldiers suspected of involvement in the previous day’s coup attempt.
The number of confirmed deaths since Monday rose to 20.
A rebel unit within the army attacked President Ange-Felix Patasse’s villa with automatic weapons and mortars early Monday morning.
Seven members of the presidential guard died defending Patasse. The head of the country’s paramilitary police died after he was shot as he ran toward the villa.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan condemned the coup attempt.
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