Benin’s interior minister says coup attempt has been ‘foiled’
Military personnel in Benin on Sunday announced that they had ousted President Patrice Talon, although his entourage said he was safe and the army was regaining control. Soldiers calling themselves the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR), said on state television that they had met and decided that “Mr Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic”.
The announcement follows two coups in Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau in as many months. Benin is bordered in the north by Niger and Burkina Faso, which have also seen military takeovers. The French Embassy said on X that “gunfire was reported at Camp Guezo” near the president’s official residence in the economic capital.
Benin’s interior minister on Sunday said that the army had thwarted an attempted coup by a group of soldiers who said they had ousted President Patrice Talon.
“A small group of soldiers launched a mutiny with the aim of destabilising the country and its institutions,” said Alassane Seidou.
“Faced with this situation, the Beninese Armed Forces and their leadership maintained control of the situation and foiled the attempt,” he added.