Benin Soldiers Seize Power in Apparent Coup as President's Fate Hangs in Balance
In a shocking turn of events, soldiers in the West African nation of Benin took control of state television on Sunday, announcing their overthrow of President Patrice Talon and assuming power. The sudden move has sparked concerns about the country's stability and raised questions about the motivations behind the coup.
Lieutenant Colonel Tigri Pascal was named as the transitional leader by the group, which calls itself the Military Committee for Refoundation. However, officials are downplaying the situation, saying that the coup had been thwarted and President Talon is safe.
The military takeover comes at a time when several neighboring countries in West Africa have faced similar crises, earning the region the moniker "coup belt." The latest move follows recent coups in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, all of which have raised concerns about regional instability.
Benin's airspace has been closed, and gunfire has been reported near President Talon's residence in Cotonou. The French Embassy has urged its citizens to stay at home until further notice, while the US Embassy has warned members of the public to avoid the city and surrounding areas due to unconfirmed reports of a coup.
Despite the chaos, officials claim that "a large part of the army is still loyalist" and are working to reassert control. A Reuters report suggests that Benin's Foreign Minister, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, believes that the situation is under control, with a small group of soldiers controlling the TV broadcast.
The President, known for his business acumen as "the king of cotton," was due to step down at the end of his second term in office and elections are scheduled for April next year. His current whereabouts remain unknown, but a statement attributed to his office says he is safe.
While officials have downplayed the significance of the coup, concerns about regional instability persist. As one anonymous source reportedly told AFP, "It's just a matter of time before everything returns to normal. The cleanup is progressing well."
In a shocking turn of events, soldiers in the West African nation of Benin took control of state television on Sunday, announcing their overthrow of President Patrice Talon and assuming power. The sudden move has sparked concerns about the country's stability and raised questions about the motivations behind the coup.
Lieutenant Colonel Tigri Pascal was named as the transitional leader by the group, which calls itself the Military Committee for Refoundation. However, officials are downplaying the situation, saying that the coup had been thwarted and President Talon is safe.
The military takeover comes at a time when several neighboring countries in West Africa have faced similar crises, earning the region the moniker "coup belt." The latest move follows recent coups in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, all of which have raised concerns about regional instability.
Benin's airspace has been closed, and gunfire has been reported near President Talon's residence in Cotonou. The French Embassy has urged its citizens to stay at home until further notice, while the US Embassy has warned members of the public to avoid the city and surrounding areas due to unconfirmed reports of a coup.
Despite the chaos, officials claim that "a large part of the army is still loyalist" and are working to reassert control. A Reuters report suggests that Benin's Foreign Minister, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, believes that the situation is under control, with a small group of soldiers controlling the TV broadcast.
The President, known for his business acumen as "the king of cotton," was due to step down at the end of his second term in office and elections are scheduled for April next year. His current whereabouts remain unknown, but a statement attributed to his office says he is safe.
While officials have downplayed the significance of the coup, concerns about regional instability persist. As one anonymous source reportedly told AFP, "It's just a matter of time before everything returns to normal. The cleanup is progressing well."
I remember back in my day, we used to watch CNN and get updates on the world news, but now it's like a bad soap opera - coups and military takeovers every other week... Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and now Benin? 
What's going on with these countries?! West Africa is like a big mess right now! 
And what about President Talon? Is he okay? His business empire was huge, you know - the king of cotton or whatever. How did it all go down? 
I mean, I'm no expert, but it seems like Benin's situation is getting more and more unstable by the minute... this "coup belt" thing is really freaking me out! 
i'm not saying coups are a bad thing (like some of my fellow commenters) but you gotta wonder what really went down here 
. A country that was supposedly moving towards stability and democracy has been taken over by soldiers. It's like, one thing after another in West Africa, isn't it? 
Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso... all had coups recently. Is this just a domino effect or what?
We need some stability in West Africa right now.
i'm worried about president talon's safety he's always been a calm guy but now his future is uncertain 
why did it take them so long to close airspace tho? 
should be keeping everyone safe, especially the president 
. It's like they're trying to send a message, but what does it even mean? 
Not. Good. 
. Can't even get a good night's sleep right now 
.
Benin soldiers took over the government like what's going on?! 
What do u guys think is gonna happen next? Will they be able to stabilize the situation or is it gonna get worse?! 
. how many times do we have to see this happen before people learn? 
its like west africa is a never-ending cycle of coups and instability 
. can we just get one peaceful leader for once?! 
the thought of benin's airspace being closed and gunfire near president talon's residence is keeping me up at night 
. i just hope everything gets resolved soon and the president is safe 
.