Authorities confirm casualties after failed coup in Benin
The Benin incident is the latest in a series of attempted power grabs across West Africa, often triggered by contested elections, constitutional disputes and public frustration.
A brief but violent coup attempt in Benin on Sunday morning left casualties on both government and rebel forces, authorities said, as security agencies continue searching for the military officer who led the uprising.
The attempted takeover unfolded when a group of soldiers calling themselves the Committee for Refoundation seized the national television station to announce President Patrice Talon's removal, the suspension of government institutions and the dissolution of the administration.
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Eight soldiers appeared on screen, announcing they were in control, led by Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, a former member of Talon's security detail who had also commanded a National Guard battalion.
According to Benin Government Secretary Edouard Ouin-Ouro, the rebels struck around 5 am but were quickly pushed back by loyalist forces.
Nigerian and Ivorian forces assisted in quelling the uprising, with Nigerian aircraft used to immobilise rebel armoured vehicles, helping government troops regain control by Sunday afternoon.
Authorities have arrested several soldiers involved in the coup, but the ringleader is still on the run. Two senior military officers who were briefly held hostage have been released, though officials have not revealed how many were injured or killed.
Later on Sunday, President Talon condemned the coup attempt and reassured citizens that the situation was under control, pledging to hold the mutineers accountable.
By Monday, calm had returned to Cotonou, with soldiers patrolling the streets, as investigations continued to identify all perpetrators and assess the damage left in the wake of the failed coup.
Following the incident, the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) sent a standby force, including troops from Nigeria, Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone, after Talon requested support.
The move followed earlier warnings by the bloc that it would support Benin "by all necessary means," including military intervention.
The Benin incident is the latest in a series of attempted power grabs across West Africa, often triggered by contested elections, constitutional disputes and public frustration.
According to experts, inconsistent responses by ECOWAS in past crises, such as in Gabon, Guinea-Bissau and Niger, have made the region vulnerable to instability.
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