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13-699: The military was established in 1978. The Lesotho Defence Force participated in the military coup in 1986 , internal conflicts in 1994 and 1998 , and unrest in 2007 . Following the 1993 Lesotho general election , in August 1994, King Letsie III dissolved the newly elected parliament in a coup d'état that was supported by the military. On 30 August 2014 , an alleged military coup took place, forcing then-Prime Minister Tom Thabane to flee to South Africa for three days. A brief crisis occurred in September 2017 when Lieutenant General Khoantle Motsomotso (then-commander of

26-413: A Bell 47 G helicopter converted to turboshaft power. Two Mil Mi-2 twin-turbine helicopters were donated by Libya in 1983 but were retired by 1986. Deliveries of four Bell 412 helicopters were delayed in 1983 to 1986 because of South Africa's influence. This changed when a 1986 military coup resulted in new security agreements with South Africa being signed. In the mid-1980s the air wing was merged into

39-670: The 1960s initially as a paramilitary police force, established separately from the Lesotho Mounted Police Service on 1 April 1978. It was recognised as an army in August 1979 and was expanded in the 1980s in response to Basutoland Congress Party insurgent activities. After the January 1986 military coup that brought General Justin Lekhanya to power, the army was renamed the Royal Lesotho Defence Force. As of 1990, it

52-840: The LDF) was assassinated by some junior officers, leading to an intervention by the Southern African Development Community (SADC). In 2021, a LDF contingent was sent to Mozambique as part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) to assist the Mozambican government during the insurgency in Cabo Delgado . The contingent consequently took part in pro-government offensives from August 2021. The army of Lesotho began in

65-600: The Lesotho Defence Force. In 1989, the Skyvans were replaced by two CASA C-212 Aviocar light turboprop transports; one immediately crashed, requiring a third to be delivered in 1992. A fifth Bell 412 (an EP model) was delivered in May 1998 to replace the one written off the previous January. 13 April 2017, a Eurocopter EC135 T2+ crashed on 13 April 2017 in the area of Thaba Putsoa, killing all four people on board. The helicopter

78-518: The government. Jonathan suspended Moshoeshoe in 1970 to reestablish his control in the country after his party lost the election. Moshoeshoe went into temporary exile in the Netherlands . A few months later, when he gained control, Jonathan allowed Moshoeshoe to reassume the title of King. Jonathan was himself overthrown in 1986 and the King gained some power, but he was deposed in 1990, while his son Letsie III

91-719: The name of King Moshoeshoe II . Eventually, a power struggle developed between Lekhanya and the King, with the latter being forced into exile in the United Kingdom in February 1990, and officially dethroned in December of that year. Lekhanya himself was deposed in the 1991 coup d'état , led by Colonel Elias Phisoana Ramaema . This Lesotho -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho Moshoeshoe II (2 May 1938 – 15 January 1996), previously known as Constantine Bereng Seeiso ,

104-539: Was a military coup that took place in Lesotho on 20 January 1986, led by General Justin Lekhanya . It led to the deposition of Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan , who held the office since 1965 and assumed dictatorial powers in the 1970 coup d'état , after the general election was annulled. General Lekhanya announced the creation of the Military Council, which would exercise all executive and legislative powers in

117-478: Was carrying three soldiers and an official from the Ministry of Finance who was delivering pensions to outlying districts. Officials reported it hit power lines and crashed in mountainous terrain near Thaba Putsoa, killing two of the soldiers and critically injuring the other two passengers, both of whom later died in hospital from their injuries. 1986 Lesotho coup d%27%C3%A9tat The 1986 Lesotho coup d'état

130-620: Was educated at the Roma College in Lesotho, then (apparently fleeing rumours that his stepfather planned to poison him) was sent to England, first to Ampleforth College and later to Corpus Christi College, Oxford . While there, he took to the life of an English country gentleman, including hunting, shooting, and fishing. Moshoeshoe's political power was always limited, and his reign was interrupted twice. Early in his reign, Chief Leabua Jonathan became Prime Minister of Lesotho and gained control of

143-416: Was estimated to have about 2,000 personnel divided into one recon company, one artillery battery, seven companies, one special forces platoon, and a support company. The Lesotho Defence Force Air Wing was originally a 1978-offshoot of the paramilitary police mobile unit and began operations with two Short Skyvan twin turboprop STOL transports, a leased Cessna A152 Aerobat , two MBB Bo 105 helicopters, and

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156-465: Was forced to take his place as King. Moshoeshoe went to exile in the United Kingdom, but was restored to the throne in 1995. In 1996, he was killed in a car accident, and Letsie became King again a month later. During the political turmoil of 1970 and 1990, and for a month after his death in 1996, his wife and Letsie's mother, 'Mamohato , acted as regent. King Moshoeshoe II died at the age of 57 in

169-494: Was the Paramount Chief of Basutoland , succeeding paramount chief Seeiso from 1960 until the country gained full independence from Britain in 1966. He was King of Lesotho from 1966 until his exile in 1990, and from 1995 until his death in 1996. Moshoeshoe was born with the name Constantine Bereng Seeiso and was the descendant of the founder of the nation, Moshoeshoe I , which is where he got his royal name. The young Seeiso

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