Sawt Falasteen - Benin government says has 'foiled' coup attempt

Military and security sources said that around a dozen soldiers had been arrested, including those behind the coup bid.

The west Africa region has experienced a number of coups in recent years, including in Benin's northern neighbours Niger and Burkina Faso, as well as Mali, Guinea and, most recently, Guinea-Bissau.

Talon is due to hand over power in April next year after 10 years in office marked by solid economic growth but also a surge in jihadist violence.

Early on Sunday, soldiers calling themselves the "Military Committee for Refoundation" (CMR), announced on state television that they had met and decided that "Mr Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic".

Shortly after the announcement however, a source close to Talon told AFP the president was safe and condemned the coup plotters as "a small group of people who only control the television".

"The regular army is regaining control. The city (Cotonou) and the country are completely secure," said the source.

"It's just a matter of time before everything returns to normal. The clean-up is progressing well."

Benin's Interior Minister Alassane Seidou described the soldiers' announcement as "a mutiny" aimed at "destabilising the country and its institutions".

"Faced with this situation, the Beninese Armed Forces and their leadership maintained control of the situation and foiled the attempt," he added.

- Situation 'under control' -

AFP correspondents had reported hearing gunfire early Sunday on the streets of Cotonou, the economic capital, while soldiers blocked access to the presidential offices and the state television building.

Elsewhere, however, residents went about their business.

A military source confirmed that the situation was "under control" and the coup plotters had not taken either Talon's residence or the presidential offices.

AFP could not immediately verify that, with access to those areas blocked, as were several other points in the city, including the five-star Sofitel hotel in Cotonou and districts housing international institutions.

There was no military presence reported at the airport and in much of the rest of the city.

Several embassies in Benin on Sunday advised their nationals to stay inside if possible.

The eight rebel soldiers who appeared on television were carrying assault rifles and wearing berets of various colours.

They proclaimed lieutenant colonel Pascal Tigri as "president" of their "refoundation" committee and justified their action by citing the "continuous deterioration of the security situation in northern Benin".

The "neglect of soldiers killed in action and their families left to fend for themselves" as well as "unjust promotions at the expense of the most deserving" were also motivations, they added.

- Condemnation -

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), of which Benin is a member, called the rebel soldiers' actions "unconstitutional" and a "subversion of the will of the Beninese people".

The African Union said it "unequivocally condemns" the attempted coup and urged soldiers to return to their barracks.

Benin's political history has been marked by several coups and attempted coups since its independence from France in 1960.

Talon, a 67-year-old former businessman dubbed the "cotton king of Cotonou", came to power in 2016.

He is due to reach the end of his second term in 2026, the maximum allowed by the constitution.

While Talon has been praised for bringing economic development to Benin, he is regularly accused by his critics of authoritarianism.

Z.AlNajjar--SF-PST