A shootout took place at the residence of senior politicians in Kinshasa

Gunfire was heard near the presidential palace north of Kinshasa, the capital of Congo Kinshasa. Men in military uniform are said to have clashed with the bodyguards of a senior politician.

Gunmen attacked a house belonging to parliamentarian and former minister Vital Kamerhi, his spokesman wrote on social media. The attack must have been repelled. According to the spokesman, two guards and one attacker were killed.

Vital Kamerhi is running for president of the Congolese National Assembly, and the vote on that was postponed on Saturday evening due to disagreements within the ruling party.

65-year-old Kamerhi is a controversial political figure and former president. He later became the subject of widespread allegations of financial fraud, for which he was convicted and later acquitted on appeal. Today he is an associate of President Felix Tshisekedi, and was appointed in April as deputy prime minister.

Congolese media describe the attackers as Congolese soldiers, but at an early stage it is not clear what motivated their actions.

The Presidential Palace, officially the Palace of the Nation, is located in Gombe, a northern suburb of Kinshasa.