BREAKING: Coup in Benin Republic as soldiers remove President Talon from office

A group of military personnel in Benin on Sunday claimed to have ousted President Patrice Talon, who is scheduled to step down next April after a decade in power.

The soldiers, identifying themselves as the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR), announced on state television that they had convened and decided that “Mr Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic.”

Talon’s current whereabouts remain unknown. Meanwhile, the French Embassy reported on X that gunfire had been heard at Camp Guezo, near the president’s official residence, and urged French citizens in the country to stay indoors for safety.

The situation remains tense, with further updates expected as developments unfold.