Zimbabwe: Robert Mugabe under house arrest after military seize Harare but deny coup - as it happened
Military says 'as soon as we have accomplished our mission, we expect that the situation will return to normalcy'
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Your support makes all the difference.Zimbabwe's military says it has seized power to target "criminals" around President Robert Mugabe, who it said is "safe and sound" in custody.
The army said it was securing government offices and patrolling the capital's streets, after a night of unrest which included a military takeover of the state broadcaster.
The action triggered speculation of a coup, but the military's supporters praised it as a "bloodless correction".
Read our rolling coverage of Wednesday's events, as they happened, below:
"We wish to make it abundantly clear that this is not a military takeover," Zimbabwe Major General SB Moyo, Chief of Staff Logistics, said on television.
"We are only targeting criminals around [Mr Mugabe] who are committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in the country in order to bring them to justice.
"As soon as we have accomplished our mission, we expect that the situation will return to normalcy."
Neither Mr Mugabe nor his wife Grace, who has been vying to succeed her husband as president, have been seen or heard from.
At least three explosions were heard in the capital, Harare, overnight, and military vehicles were seen in the streets.
The army has been praised by the nation's war veterans for carrying out "a bloodless correction of gross abuse of power."
The military will return Zimbabwe to "genuine democracy" and make the country a "modern model nation," Chris Mutsvangwa, chairman of the war veterans' association, told the Associated Press.
The US Embassy closed to the public on Wednesday and encouraged citizens to shelter in place, citing "the ongoing political uncertainty through the night."
The British Embassy issued a similar warning, citing "reports of unusual military activity."
Mr Johnson said it was still unclear whether the seizure of power by the military in Harare marked the downfall of President Robert Mugabe.
"We cannot tell how developments in Zimbabwe will play out in the days ahead and we do not know whether this marks the downfall of Mugabe or not," he told the British parliament.
Britain, the foreign secretary said, had always wanted Zimbabwe's citizens to be masters of their fate. He said Britain would do all it could to ensure that elections next year were free and fair.
"We will do all we can, with our international partners, to ensure this provides a genuine opportunity for all Zimbabweans to decide their future," he added.
Nobody wants to see Zimbabwe transition from one unelected tyrant to another, Boris Johnson has said.
Amnesty International have called on the Zimbabwean military to uphold human rights.
“At this tense time, it is essential that the military ensure the safety and security of all people in Zimbabwe - regardless of their political allegiance - and refrain from any action that puts lives and human rights at risk," Amnesty's regional director for southern Africa, Deprose Muchena, said.
“Military officials must uphold human rights, including the right to liberty, freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.
“The free flow of information - through the media and social media - must be guaranteed.
“The military takeover should not be used as an excuse to undermine Zimbabwe’s international and regional human rights obligations and commitments.”
TV in Zimbabwe has switched back to normal broadcasts after playing patriotic songs and the army's statement for hours.
Contrary to reports that Grace Mugabe has fled to Namibia, Trevor Ncube, a Zimbabwean newspaper owner, says the President's wife is actually still in the capital, Harare.
Here is Boris Johnson calling for "calm and restraint" in Zimbabwe as he spoke in the House of Commons earlier today.
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