Burundi's armed forces chief announced in early Thursday that an attempted coup by a top general against President Pierre Nkurunziza had failed, although the claim was immediately denied by opponents of the central African nation's leader.

"The attempted coup by General Godefroid Niyombare has been stopped," armed forces chief and General Prime Niyongabo said in a radio announcement, which also said the presidency and presidential palace were under control of the president's backers.