Gunshots and explosions rang out as around 400 armed soldiers launched the assault on the army barracks where the 20 or so renegades were holed up.

The dissident soldiers announced Wednesday that all government institutions were suspended and that a military council had taken charge.

But by Saturday afternoon hundreds of troops had descended on the camp.

"Loyal forces are storming into the camp to neutralize the mutineers," an officer at the scene told AFP. "The officers (mutineers) have given themselves up. It is some junior soldiers who are firing back."

The US condemned the latest coup attempt and called for dialogue. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) said the mutiny illustrated just how little progress was being made in bringing an end to the political crisis.

AFP