Benin Republic Arrests Dozen Soldiers Over Attempted Coup

No fewer than a dozen soldiers have been arrested in Benin Republic after an attempted coup, including the masterminds behind the failed operation.

Military and security sources told AFP this on Sunday.

One source reported that 13 people had been arrested, while another confirmed that all the detainees are serving soldiers except one, a former member of the armed forces.

The arrests followed a broadcast on Benin’s national television on Sunday morning, in which a group of military officers announced the removal of President Patrice Talon and the dissolution of all state institutions.

The officers, identifying themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation, claimed they had seized power.

However, the presidency told AFP that President Talon is safe and that loyalist forces are restoring order.

The government described the incident as the work of “a small group” with limited influence.

“This is a small group of people who only control the television. The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure,” the presidency said.