CAPE TOWN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Sunday urged the Lesotho Defence Force to return to their barracks and allow the democratically elected government of the Kingdom to carry on with its business.

"The South African Government has verified that the Lesotho Defence Force did take over the radio and TV stations, resulting in a total black out in broadcasts. The Army has also taken over several police stations including the Police Headquarters," the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said in a statement.

The statement said the South African government "notes with great concern the unfolding security situation in the Kingdom of Lesotho".

Early Saturday morning, the Lesotho military raided the house of Prime Minister Tom Thabane and seized the police headquarters and the Mabote police station in the capital of Maseru in a possible coup attempt.

"The activities of the Lesotho Defence Force have forced the constitutionally elected Prime Minister Tom Thabane and one of the leaders in the Coalition Government, Hon Thesile Maseribane to go in hiding in South Africa," the DIRCO statement said.

The Lesotho military refused to acknowledge that it was a coup, claiming that it took the action after receiving intelligence that police officers intended to pass arms and ammunitions to Thabane's All Basotho convention called "Under the Tree".

The army said it is empowered to prevent terrorism, internal disorder and threats to essential services.

The military said its soldiers had returned to barracks, with peace and calm resumed in Maseru.

"Although no one has claimed to have taken over government through the use of force, by all accounts the activities of the Lesotho Defence Force thus far bear the hallmarks of a coup d'état, " the DIRCO statement said.

"In this regard, the South African Government, consistent with the African Union position on unconstitutional change of government, wishes to reaffirm the AU position and warn that such unconstitutional change of government shall not be tolerated."

The statement said the South African government encourages the leaders of the Lesotho coalition government to work together and implement the Namibia Declaration which was presented at the recent summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

"In this regard, South Africa in her capacity as the Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security remain committed to assisting the leaders of the Coalition Government to find a lasting political solution to their current challenges," the statement said.