Togo Revolts

Street fights erupted in the capital of Lome after mutinous soldiers tried to kidnap the prime minister. Seven people were reported killed. It was the third botched attempt in a week to unseat the interim government of Joseph Koffigoh, a lawyer appointed to end 24 years of military rule under President Gen. Gnassingbe Eyadema. Koffigoh said he eluded a dozen soldiers who broke into his hotel intent on abducting him.

Attackers stormed the military compound in Lome, Togo's capital, the home of President Gnassingbe Eyadema, then fled under fire from government troops. Eyadema was reported safe, but his top military aide was killed. A government communique said the raiders came "from abroad," and Togo immediately sealed its border with Ghana as part of an investigation.

President Gnassingbe Eyadema late Friday urged soldiers to give up their attempt to restore his power, while 300 French troops remained poised nearby to intervene. Rebel soldiers were besieging the oceanside palace of reformist Prime Minister Joseph Koffigoh, which they surrounded with tanks on Wednesday. The soldiers were trying to starve Koffigoh out, refusing to let food into his complex. The dissidents have threatened to "reduce the city to ashes" if Eyadema does not name a new government.

Soldiers loyal to former dictator Gen. Gnassingbe Eyadema have not kept their promise to retreat from Lome, the capital city, after a coup attempt, the fledgling civilian government said. Prime Minister Joseph Kokou Koffigoh's interim government, charged with ending Eyadema's 24-year military rule and holding free elections, appealed for international aid to prevent the former dictator from retaking power.

Troops loyal to President Gnassingbe Eyadema surrounded the palace of Prime Minister Joseph Koffigoh with tanks Thursday and demanded that the powers of Togo's longtime president be restored. The troops apparently were repulsed by the palace guard, and at least 17 deaths were reported on a second day of violence in this West African nation.

Soldiers loyal to former dictator Gen. Gnassingbe Eyadema have not kept their promise to retreat from Lome, the capital city, after a coup attempt, the fledgling civilian government said. Prime Minister Joseph Kokou Koffigoh's interim government, charged with ending Eyadema's 24-year military rule and holding free elections, appealed for international aid to prevent the former dictator from retaking power.

President Gnassingbe Eyadema, faced with mounting pressure to quit, gave in to opposition demands for a national conference to decide Togo's political future. A joint statement released after crisis talks between Eyadema and leaders of the Democratic Opposition Front, a coalition of 11 opposition parties, said the conference will begin June 24. The coalition also announced an immediate end to a general strike that has crippled the capital, Lome, for a week.

Rebellious soldiers withdrew their tanks from Togo's capital Saturday under threat of French intervention, ending the military's fourth attempt in two months to topple the interim government. But the soldiers loyal to longtime President Gnassingbe Eyadema, who was stripped of all but ceremonial powers last August, made clear that they expect concessions from Togo's first civilian government in 24 years.

Rebel troops twice seized the state broadcasting center Tuesday in a botched coup attempt against a civilian government trying to end 24 years of military dictatorship in this west African nation. State television reported that the troops, after seizing the station in the morning, departing in a hail of bullets a few hours later and then returning in the afternoon, had left a second time as nightfall approached.

Attackers stormed the military compound in Lome, Togo's capital, the home of President Gnassingbe Eyadema, then fled under fire from government troops. Eyadema was reported safe, but his top military aide was killed. A government communique said the raiders came "from abroad," and Togo immediately sealed its border with Ghana as part of an investigation.

Rebellious soldiers withdrew their tanks from Togo's capital Saturday under threat of French intervention, ending the military's fourth attempt in two months to topple the interim government. But the soldiers loyal to longtime President Gnassingbe Eyadema, who was stripped of all but ceremonial powers last August, made clear that they expect concessions from Togo's first civilian government in 24 years.

President Gnassingbe Eyadema late Friday urged soldiers to give up their attempt to restore his power, while 300 French troops remained poised nearby to intervene. Rebel soldiers were besieging the oceanside palace of reformist Prime Minister Joseph Koffigoh, which they surrounded with tanks on Wednesday. The soldiers were trying to starve Koffigoh out, refusing to let food into his complex. The dissidents have threatened to "reduce the city to ashes" if Eyadema does not name a new government.

Troops loyal to President Gnassingbe Eyadema surrounded the palace of Prime Minister Joseph Koffigoh with tanks Thursday and demanded that the powers of Togo's longtime president be restored. The troops apparently were repulsed by the palace guard, and at least 17 deaths were reported on a second day of violence in this West African nation.

Street fights erupted in the capital of Lome after mutinous soldiers tried to kidnap the prime minister. Seven people were reported killed. It was the third botched attempt in a week to unseat the interim government of Joseph Koffigoh, a lawyer appointed to end 24 years of military rule under President Gen. Gnassingbe Eyadema. Koffigoh said he eluded a dozen soldiers who broke into his hotel intent on abducting him.

Rebel troops twice seized the state broadcasting center Tuesday in a botched coup attempt against a civilian government trying to end 24 years of military dictatorship in this west African nation. State television reported that the troops, after seizing the station in the morning, departing in a hail of bullets a few hours later and then returning in the afternoon, had left a second time as nightfall approached.

President Gnassingbe Eyadema, faced with mounting pressure to quit, gave in to opposition demands for a national conference to decide Togo's political future. A joint statement released after crisis talks between Eyadema and leaders of the Democratic Opposition Front, a coalition of 11 opposition parties, said the conference will begin June 24. The coalition also announced an immediate end to a general strike that has crippled the capital, Lome, for a week.