When soldiers were attacking the presidential offices, ______ was in process.

A coup attempt appears to be under way in Niger. Soldiers have forced their way into the presidential palace and taken the head of state Mamadou Tandja to a military barracks.
    Latest information says President Tandja has now been separated from his ministers and taken to an unknown military camp. French diplomats have confirmed that he’s indeed in the hands of a mutant faction of the army after soldiers stormed the presidential offices where a cabinet meeting was under way. The heavy exchanges of fire which broke out on Thursday afternoon have left at least 3 people dead and 10 injured. Exactly which part of the military carried out the operation remains unclear. Niger has been rocked by months of political crisis after the president changed the constitution to remain in power.