Breaking: Benin arrests dozen soldiers over coup attempt

Around a dozen soldiers have been arrested in Benin following a failed coup attempt, military and security sources told AFP on Sunday.

The detainees include the ringleaders of the operation, most of whom are active service members, with one former soldier also among those taken into custody.

The arrests came after a group of military officers appeared on national television on Sunday morning, claiming they had removed President Patrice Talon and dissolved all state institutions. The officers, who called themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation, announced that they had seized power.

The presidency, however, said Talon is safe and that loyalist forces are regaining control. It described the coup attempt as the work of “a small group” with limited influence.

“This is a small group of people who only control the television. The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure,” the statement said.

The situation in Cotonou appears calm, with authorities restoring order after the brief unrest.