The dismissal of Defense Minister Mohamed Zaki by the head of the Egyptian regime Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who appointed him in 2018 for his key role in the coup against President Mohamed Morsi, has raised many questions.

Gabon’s military coup, which followed similar events in Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Sudan and Niger, has sparked speculation about the emergence of an “African Spring” — a wave of popular uprisings against authoritarian regimes across the continent.

A group of senior army officers in Gabon declared a coup last week, seizing control of the national television and announcing the end of the rule of President Ali Bongo, who won a third term in a disputed election on August 30.

The echoes of military coups reverberate across different corners of Africa, prompting questions about the root causes of this escalating trend.

The U.S. has implicitly supported coups in Africa by continuing to work with the new authorities and providing them with more assistance.