Benin's armed forces foil coup attempt against President Talon: Authorities
Benin's armed forces successfully neutralized an attempted coup d'état against President Patrice Talon over the weekend, authorities said.
Interior Minister Alassane Seidou announced on Sunday that a group of rebellious soldiers was thwarted in their bid to seize power in the West African country.
"The Beninese armed forces and their leadership, true to their oath, remained committed to the republic," Seidou said in a televised address.
Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari told Reuters that “a small group” of soldiers had attempted to overthrow the government but that armed forces were working to restore order.
In a brief appearance on state television, at least eight soldiers, some wearing helmets, claimed to have formed a military committee led by Colonel Tigri Pascal, which purportedly dissolved national institutions, suspended the constitution, and closed the country's air, land, and maritime borders.
In a statement read by one of the soldiers during the broadcast, they proclaimed, “The army solemnly commits to give the Beninese people the hope of a truly new era, where fraternity, justice, and work prevail.”
However, shortly after the announcement, government forces said they had regained control of the country.
Helicopters were seen flying over Cotonou, and roads were blocked with a heavy military presence on several streets.
Benin, a former French colony, is one of Africa's leading producers of cotton, governed by a democratically elected government.
Sunday's abortive attempt to topple the Western-backed government was the latest move by a left-leaning African junta to topple an African country.
In recent years, juntas in Africa have seized control in Benin’s neighbors, Niger and Burkina Faso, as well as Mali and Guinea.
Last month, Guinea-Bissau joined the group of countries ruled by military governments opposed to Western powers.
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