Benin government foils coup attempt by soldiers

Benin’s government has declared that its armed forces thwarted an attempted coup by a small group of soldiers aiming to destabilize the state. The soldiers claimed on national television that they had seized power, announcing the dissolution of the government and the removal of President Patrice Talon. The coup plotters only had control of state TV, with gunfire heard in Cotonou and uncertainty surrounding Mr Talon’s whereabouts. Benin, gearing up for a presidential election in April, has a history of military takeovers in neighboring countries, with recent political tensions and crackdowns on alleged coup plots.

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