GABON ROCKED BY MILITARY COUP, BONGO DYNASTY OVERTHROWN

​The African nation of Gabon has been rocked by a military coup, with the 55-year-old Bongo dynasty overthrown. The Gabonese military led the coup, and while it is still unclear who controls the country, the army appears to have taken control.

​The Bongo dynasty had been in power since 1967 when the late Omar Bongo took over the country. His son, Ali Bongo Ondimba, had been in power since 2009. On Monday, the government announced that it was suspending the constitution and dissolving the government. Later that day, military officers declared themselves the 'National Restoration Council' and told them they controlled the country.

The coup resulted from long-simmering tensions between the government and the military. The military had long been dissatisfied with the Bongo family's rule and had been calling for political reforms for years. The crisis had been building for some time, and the military's action was seen as a last-ditch attempt to force the government to make changes.

The coup has been met with international condemnation. The African Union has declared the coup 'unconstitutional' and has called for a democratic transition. The United Nations has also called for a peaceful resolution to the crisis. It remains to be seen how the situation will be resolved, but it is clear that the Bongo dynasty is no more.