Authorities in Benin have arrested around 13 people, mostly serving soldiers, following a failed coup attempt on Sunday. According to military and security sources, the detainees include the alleged ringleaders of the operation, while one of those arrested is a former member of the armed forces.
The arrests were made after a group of military officers appeared on national television early Sunday, announcing that they had removed President Patrice Talon from power and dissolved all state institutions. The officers, calling themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation, claimed they had taken control of the country.
However, the presidency confirmed that President Talon is safe and that loyalist forces have regained control. It described the incident as the action 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 completelyn secure,” the presidency said.
