A source close to the president alleges that a small group of soldiers tried to spread confusion by giving a TV address, claiming that the president is on the side of the military.
What you should know
A group of soldiers in the West African country of Benin has announced on national television that they have seized power, claiming to have ousted President Patrice Talon.
Eight soldiers carrying guns entered the national television studio and said the constitution had been suspended and all border crossings and flights had been suspended. The French embassy in Benin said it had heard gunfire near the president's residence. However, sources close to the president denied the claim, the BBC reported. They said a small group of soldiers, who did not have the support of the army, had tried to spread confusion by giving a televised address. "The situation is under control. The vast majority of the army is still loyal to the president and we are taking control of the situation," Foreign Minister Sigon Adjadi Bakri told Reuters. A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP news agency that it was a "small group of people." Who has only taken over the TV . The city and the country are completely free and safe .’
However, it is still not clear where the president is . Helicopters are flying in the sky over the capital city of Cotonou . Similarly, there is a heavy military presence on the streets of the city . France and Russia have urged their citizens to be safe . The US embassy has responded by saying that it is closely monitoring the situation . Military 'coups' in West Africa are not a new development
. Benin's neighboring countries of Burkina Faso and Niger are under military rule . Similarly, Mali, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau are also under military rule .
