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Hostages released amid ongoing manhunt
Two high-ranking military officers abducted during Sunday's failed coup in Benin have been freed, a government insider confirmed to the BBC. Details of their release remain unclear, and authorities have not disclosed whether other hostages may still be held by the mutineers.
Coup attempt thwarted with regional support
President Patrice Talon declared the situation "totally under control" after loyalist forces, backed by Nigerian fighter jets, reclaimed key sites including the national television station and a military base. Nigeria's intervention followed a direct request from Benin's government, with aircraft tracked entering Beninese airspace before conducting airstrikes in the capital, Cotonou.
Explosions rocked the city Sunday afternoon, though the extent of damage remains unconfirmed. Earlier, 14 suspects were detained, including 12 individuals who stormed the state broadcaster's offices-among them a dismissed soldier.
Rebels criticize leadership amid security failures
The coup's alleged leader, Lt Col Pascal Tigri, remains at large. In a televised statement, mutineers accused Talon of neglecting troops killed in jihadist attacks near Benin's northern borders with Niger and Burkina Faso, as well as abandoning their families. They also condemned austerity measures, including the cancellation of state-funded dialysis and tax hikes, alongside restrictions on political freedoms.
Regional tensions rise as Ecowas deploys troops
West Africa's regional bloc, Ecowas, dispatched forces from Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Ivory Coast to secure critical infrastructure. The move reflects growing alarm over a wave of coups in the Sahel, with Benin previously seen as a stable democracy. Ecowas and the African Union both condemned the attempt, while pro-Russian social media accounts celebrated the unrest, according to BBC Monitoring.
Talon, a former cotton magnate and Western ally, is set to leave office next year after two terms. His government has faced criticism for suppressing opposition, including barring the main rival candidate from April's elections. Recent constitutional changes extended parliamentary terms to seven years but preserved the two-term presidential limit.
Broader instability fuels concerns
The coup attempt follows last week's overthrow of Guinea-Bissau's president and recent military takeovers in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. The latter three nations, now aligned under the Russia-backed Alliance of Sahel States, have severed ties with Ecowas. Benin's crisis underscores the region's fragility as external powers vie for influence.
"This treachery will not go unpunished," Talon vowed in a national address, offering condolences to "victims of this senseless adventure."
