From iOL
Lesotho’s deadlocked political parties failed to meet a Friday deadline for a fresh peace deal, prompting South Africa to call an emergency meeting of regional leaders.
After promising South African President Jacob Zuma that they would decide by Friday when to re-open Lesotho’s parliament, rival leaders failed to resolve a crisis sparked two weeks ago by an aborted coup.
Reopening the legislature — which was shuttered in June — is seen as a key step toward restoring normality in the tiny mountainous state.
On August 30, an attempted coup by renegade general Tlali Kamoli saw the military assault several police stations prompting the prime minister to flee the country.
One Lesotho police officer was killed, and nine others injured in the unrest.
Prime Minister Tom Thabane has since returned, protected by South African guards, but a Pretoria-brokered peace deal quickly disintegrated.
On Friday rival party leaders failed to patch up their difference, instead calling for the 15-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) to step in.
Written by /Read more at iOL
