The Gambia's government says it has thwarted an attempt to stage a coup.

Four soldiers had been arrested and three alleged accomplices were on the run, a statement said.

It is unclear who exactly was behind Tuesday's attempt to overthrow President Adama Barrow, who won a second term in elections last year.

The Gambia is a largely peaceful country in West Africa which is popular with holidaymakers because of its beaches and wildlife.

Mr Barrow defeated long-serving President Yahya Jammeh in a shock election victory in December 2016.

Mr Jammeh was forced into exile in Equatorial Guinea, though he remains an influential figure in The Gambia, one of Africa's smallest countries.

The Gambia's capital, Banjul, is peaceful, with life going on as normal.

No gun shots have been heard, and there is no sign that loyalist forces have been deployed to secure strategic sites.

The government statement, however, said that military reservists had been put on stand-by.

"The situation is under total control," it added.

When reports of a coup attempt first surfaced on Tuesday, the army denied it, saying it had only carried out a "military drill".