Regional troops head to Lesotho after commander's killing

Published September 19, 2017

Troops from several southern African countries are deploying to Lesotho amid tensions over the shooting death of the mountain kingdom's military commander.

Lesotho's defense minister, Sentje Lebona, said Thursday that the Southern African Development Community, a regional bloc, is sending forces to keep order. Lebona says the force includes troops from South Africa, Angola and Mozambique but declines to comment on the size.

Lt. Gen. Khoantle Motsomotso was killed Tuesday in a resurgence of the political instability plaguing the country. He died in a gunfight with two rival officers who also were killed.

Lesotho has been beset by power struggles and concerns about military interference in politics. The country has seen a number of high-profile assassinations, including the 2015 killing of a former army chief.

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