Zimbabwe's power struggle: The key players

Mugabe, 93, has ruled Zimbabwe since the country's independence from Britain in 1980. Under the former resistance leader's administration, rampant inflation and economic mismanagement have ruined national living standards. In the struggle over his succession, Mugabe has sided with his wife, Grace, against former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who he fired in early November.

Grace, 52, had made no secret of her wish to succeed her husband, who she married in 1996. She publically called for the dismissal of Vice President Mnangagwa and pushed for the ruling ZANU-PF party to reserve party leadership for a woman. After Mnangagwa was ousted in early November, she said: "If you see yourself going against the chosen leadership, you are gone and finished."

Mnangagwa, 75, is a veteran of the country's 1970s liberation struggle and popular with the Zimbabwean military. Known as the "Crocodile," he was picked by Mugabe as vice president in late 2014. He had been expected to succeed the aging president before he and around 100 of his allies were fired in early November. He reportedly fled to South Africa shortly thereafter.

Zimbabwe's military chief appears to be leading Wednesday's intervention against Mugabe's inner circle. Despite the optics, his deputy said it was "not a military takeover." On Tuesday, Chiwenga warned "counter-revolutionary infiltrators" in the ZANU-PF to stop purging his allies and threatened military intervention. The party responded by accusing the general of "treasonable conduct."

The 35-year-old leader of ZANU-PF's youth wing has supported Grace Mugabe's bid for power. After General Chiwenga's threatened intervention on Tuesday, Chipanga fired back, saying: "We in our millions will not let an individual military man interfere with the leader of the party and legitimately voted president of the country." Chipanga was also reportedly detained on Wednesday.

The finance minister, who was appointed in October, has long been a key ally of Robert and Grace Mugabe. Chombo is one of the leading voices within the ZANU-PF supporting Grace's bid for power. The military reportedly detained the 65-year-old on Wednesday. (Author: Alexander Pearson)