Zimbabwe's military has placed President Robert Mugabe under house arrest in the capital Harare, South African President Jacob Zuma says.
Mr Mugabe told Mr Zuma in a phone call that he was fine, the South African leader's office said.
Troops are patrolling the capital, Harare, after they seized state TV and said they were targeting "criminals".
The move may be a bid to replace Mr Mugabe with his sacked deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, BBC correspondents say.
Mr Mnangagwa's dismissal last week left Mr Mugabe's wife Grace as the president's likely successor.
Heavy gun and artillery fire could be heard in northern parts of Harare early on Wednesday.
Mr Mugabe, 93, has dominated the impoverished country's political scene since it gained independence from the UK in 1980.
What do we know of Mr Mugabe's situation?
The firing heard during the early morning came from Harare's northern suburbs, where Mr Mugabe and a number of government officials live, the BBC's Shingai Nyoka reports from Harare.
In a statement, Mr Zuma's office said: "President Zuma spoke to President Robert Mugabe earlier today who indicated that he was confined to his home but said that he was fine."
Source: BBC
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This coupe is not for mugabe at all.African leaders must be careful the way they allow the west to dictate for them.without any apology THIS IS A MOVE OF THE WHITE. MUGABE AFRICA IS PROUD OF YOU.
no one can fight change, i hope this "transformation" is backed by people with good heats..
Strange how BBC puts it. Same people sabotage the economy with sanctions because Mugabe had the guts to sale his people needed to own some farm land which were taken over by white settlers. This coup will make Zimbabwe ungovernable
...this is not a coup but strategic move to replace his successor...
power drunk old man u could v prevented this very sad
They shoud've done this ages ago. Kicked out the old dinosaur.