Attempted military coup in Eritrea shuts down state TV: reports

Eritrea's state TV station taken off air.

A group of soldiers have attempted a military coup in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, RFI reported on Monday. According to local sources, the state TV station has been forced off air.

The reports orginated from the English language website, asmarino.com, which posted a link to a YouTube video showing the TV station off air.

According to RFI, the station's boss, Asmelash Abreha, read a statement saying that political prisoners would be freed just prior to the broadcast being cut. 

There have been rumors of the Eritrean's president's death for some time. President Aferwerki made a TV appearance in April last year to refute the reports.