In Harare, Zimbabwe, the country’s army has detained President Robert Mugabe early Wednesday morning, according to multiple news sources. Armoured vehicles were spotted heading into the city just one day after the army commander threatened to “step in” to calm political tensions over Mugabe’s sacking of his deputy on Tuesday, Nov. 14, according to BBC.

Eyewitnesses also spotted military vehicles throughout the city. The ruling ZANU-PF party, led by Mugabe, accused the head of the army, General Constantino Chiwenga, of “treasonable conduct,” according to The Independent. On Monday, Chiwenga stated that the military would not hesitate to step in to end purges against former liberation war fighters.

This rising political tension is said to have emerged from a time when Zimbabwe was struggling to pay for imports, which has also caused acute cash shortages. Although Mugabe’s rule has been anchored by support from the military, he does not tolerate public challenges, according to BBC. Last year, the country was shaken by the largest anti-government protests in a decade.

War veterans broke ranks with him in 2016 and have vowed to form a broad front with the opposition to challenge his long rule when it was thought that he would go into next year’s election, according to multiple news sources.