BREAKING:  President Talon in protected facility as loyal troops battle coup plotters

The presidency of Benin Republic says President Patrice Talon is unharmed in a protected area and that loyal forces are steadily restoring order after a group of soldiers announced a takeover early Sunday.

Residents reported hearing gunfire near the president’s residence, while armoured vehicles stationed inside the presidential palace were seen patrolling the surrounding area.

The soldiers, operating under the name Military Committee for Refoundation, declared that Talon and other political officeholders had been removed and that all state institutions were dissolved.

Talon, who has led the country since 2016, previously stated he would vacate office in April 2026 following the next presidential election.

Tensions around the presidency are not new. In September 2024, Djimon Tevoedjre, commander of the Republican Guard and head of Talon’s security, was arrested over an attempted coup.

In a statement issued Sunday, the presidency dismissed the rebel group as “a small group of people who only control the television”.

It added that the “regular army is regaining control”, insisting that both the capital and the rest of the country “are completely secure”.

West Africa has experienced a surge in coups — both successful and foiled — since 2020. Just last month, Guinea-Bissau’s military seized power following a disputed election in which President Umaro Embaló and his main rival, Fernando Dias, both claimed victory before official results were released.

Other countries currently under military rule in the region include Burkina Faso (since 2022), Guinea (2021), Mali (2020) and Niger (2023).