Zimbabwe’s military has placed President Robert Mugabe under house arrest in the capital Harare, South African President Jacob Zuma says.
Mr. Mugabe told Mr. Zuma in a phone call that he was fine, the South African leader’s office said.
Troops are patrolling the capital, Harare, after they seized the state TV and said they were targeting “criminals”.
The move may be a bid to replace Mr. Mugabe with his sacked deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, BBC correspondents say.
Mr. Mnangagwa’s dismissal last week left Mr Mugabe’s wife Grace as the president’s likely successor.
Heavy gun and artillery fire could be heard in northern parts of Harare early today.
Mr. Mugabe, age 93, has dominated the impoverished country’s political scene since it gained independence from the UK in 1980.
