Zimbabwe: Robert Mugabe under house arrest after military seize Harare but deny coup - as it happened

Military says 'as soon as we have accomplished our mission, we expect that the situation will return to normalcy'

Zimbabwe's 'military takeover' explained

Zimbabwe's military says it has seized power to target "criminals" around President Robert Mugabe, who it said is "safe and sound" in custody.

The army said it was securing government offices and patrolling the capital's streets, after a night of unrest which included a military takeover of the state broadcaster.

The action triggered speculation of a coup, but the military's supporters praised it as a "bloodless correction".

Read our rolling coverage of Wednesday's events, as they happened, below:

"We wish to make it abundantly clear that this is not a military takeover," Zimbabwe Major General SB Moyo, Chief of Staff Logistics, said on television.

"We are only targeting criminals around [Mr Mugabe] who are committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in the country in order to bring them to justice.

"As soon as we have accomplished our mission, we expect that the situation will return to normalcy."

Neither Mr Mugabe nor his wife Grace, who has been vying to succeed her husband as president, have been seen or heard from.

At least three explosions were heard in the capital, Harare, overnight, and military vehicles were seen in the streets.

The army has been praised by the nation's war veterans for carrying out "a bloodless correction of gross abuse of power."

The military will return Zimbabwe to "genuine democracy" and make the country a "modern model nation," Chris Mutsvangwa, chairman of the war veterans' association, told the Associated Press.

The US Embassy closed to the public on Wednesday and encouraged citizens to shelter in place, citing "the ongoing political uncertainty through the night."

The British Embassy issued a similar warning, citing "reports of unusual military activity."

Key Points

• Military seizes power
• President Robert Mugabe under house arrest
• Army detains Finance Minister as 'criminals' rounded up
• Explosions heard as soldiers take over state broadcaster
• British nationals warned to stay indoors

[15 November 2017 10:56 · Samuel Osborne]

The British embassy in Harare has said it is following the developments very closely.

Simon Thomas, acting ambassador, confirmed the military are deployed at strategic locations around Harare.

[15 November 2017 11:09 · Samuel Osborne]

President Robert Mugabe should be removed as the country's leader, the secretary-general of Zimbabwe's War Veterans Association has said.

Victor Matemadanda said the military takeover was for the good of Zimbabwe. 

[15 November 2017 11:21 · Samuel Osborne]

The European Union has called for dialogue in Zimbabwe and a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

"The recent political developments in Zimbabwe, and their spillover, including in relation to the country's security forces, are a matter of concern," said a spokesman for the European Commission, the EU executive.

"We are following the situation closely and we want to underline that the fundamental rights of all citizens need to be respected and the constitutional order and democratic governance needs to be upheld," he added in a statement.

"We call on all relevant players to move from confrontation to dialogue with the aim to a peaceful crisis resolution."

[15 November 2017 11:30 · Samuel Osborne]

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[15 November 2017 11:52 · Samuel Osborne]

The French foreign ministry has urged all parties in Zimbabwe to seek a peaceful solution.

A spokeswoman said a French school in Zimbabwe had been closed as part of broader security measures given to French expatriates.

[15 November 2017 11:57 · Samuel Osborne]

[15 November 2017 12:18 · Kristin Hugo]

More on the news that Grace Mugabe appears to have fled from Zimbabwe into neighbouring Namibia. Nick Mangwana, a Zanu-PF representative in the UK, told the BBC he understood the First Lady was no longer in Zimbabwe.

He claimed Ms Mugabe had taken "a higher position than she should have" and only had power because of her husband.

[15 November 2017 12:39 · Kristin Hugo]

Eddie Cross, an MP from Zimbabwe's main opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change, also said he believed Grace Mugabe is now in Namibia. Her husband, reports suggest, remains under house arreste in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare.

[15 November 2017 12:54 · Kristin Hugo]

Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, is answering urgent questions on Zimbabwe in the House of Commons. He told MPs the situation was "very fluid" and added: "It's hard to say exactly how this will turn out."

"I think the most important point to make is that everybody wants to see a stable and successful Zimbabwe," he said.

[15 November 2017 13:08 · Samuel Osborne]

Theresa May, the Prime Minister, told the House of Commons that Britain is monitoring the situation in Zimbabwe, which she said remains fluid.