Lesotho's military seized control of the tiny African kingdom's police headquarters and jammed radio stations and phones in the early hours Saturday, in a possible military coup that is developing.

"The armed forces, the special forces of Lesotho, have taken the headquarters of the police," sports minister and leader of the Basotho National Party Thesele Maseribane has told international media.

"At four o'clock this morning (0200GMT) they were driving around the residence of the prime minister and my residence," he had said according to reports.

Maseribane said he fled hours earlier after being warned.

"The commander said he was looking for me, the prime minister and the deputy minster to take us to the king. In our country that means a coup," he has added. However, he had said insisted Prime Minister Tom Thabane's government was still in control.

"The prime minister and myself, (we are) still the coalition government. The prime minister is still in power" the minister had added. Thabane was "fine", he had said, declining to elaborate where the prime minister was.

Officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, the landlocked country is completely surrounded by South Africa. It is just over 30,000 sq. km is size but has a much lesser population than Sri Lanka, numbering slightly over two million. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. A shaky coalition has governed the kingdom, which is entirely surrounded by South Africa, since elections two years ago.

Coalition partners patched up the fragile deal through mediators in June.