There is an ongoing coup in Benin with soldiers announcing that they have toppled President Patrice Talon.
The soldiers, who called themselves the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR), said on state television that President Patrice Talon “is removed from office as president of the republic.
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The soldiers, led by a lieutenant-colonel, Pascal Tigri, appeared on Benin’s state TV to announce the dissolution of the government. They said that Mr Tigri has been appointed president of the military committee.
However, the Benin presidency later released a statement, saying Mr Talon was safe and that the army was trying to ensure the coup failed.
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PREMIUM TIMES reports that the coup in Benin occurred about two weeks after a coup in Guinea-Bissau. Both countries are located in West Africa, a region that has experienced numerous coups in recent years, including those in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
In a post on X on Sunday morning, the French Embassy in Benin said “gunfire was reported at Camp Guezo” near the president’s official residence.
The coup plotters also said all borders in the country have been closed and political parties suspended.
However, in its statement, the Benin presidency said the putschists are a small group of people who only control the television.
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“The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure,” the AFP agency quoted the Benin presidency as saying.
Al Jazeera describes the situation in the West African nation as confusing due to the contradictory reports emerging.
Although the government says it has repelled an attack on the presidential palace, soldiers appearing on national television have announced the closure of Benin’s land, sea, and air borders.
