French special forces supported Beninese troops in suppressing a coup in Benin

French special forces supported Beninese troops in suppressing a coup attempt on December 7, Colonel Dieudonné Djimon Tevoedjre, head of the Republican Guard, told AFP. The coup attempt began early in the morning with an attack by the National Guard on the residence of President Patrice Talon in the port city of Cotonou. A group of Beninese soldiers, led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri, briefly occupied state television. The soldiers, calling themselves the "Military Committee for Re-establishment," appeared on state television and announced that they had deposed President Patrice Talon, declaring him "removed from office as President of the Republic," and attacked key targets, including his residence. Loyal Beninese forces quickly regained control, thanks to crucial support from Nigerian airstrikes and ground troops requested through ECOWAS. They also announced the suspension of the constitution and state institutions, calling themselves the Military Committee for Re-establishment (CMR), led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri. A fierce battle ensued in Cotonou. France protected Talon at his embassy, ​​and a French military reconnaissance plane was spotted over the city. Later, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional political and economic bloc of twelve West African countries, intervened and launched airstrikes. That evening, Talon, who is due to step down in April of next year after two terms, appeared on state television and declared the situation "completely under control." Tevoedjre, who led the ground response to an attack on Talon's official residence, told AFP in a telephone interview published on December 10 that Beninese troops had been "truly brave and had stood their ground against the enemy all day." “French special forces were deployed from Abidjan to secure the rearguard after the Beninese army's coup attempt was completed,” the commander added. He estimated the number of soldiers involved in the coup attempt at around 100 and said they had “considerable resources,” including armored vehicles. “We received immediate support from other units, which were deployed throughout the day to recapture areas and strategic points in Cotonou,” he added. French special forces were deployed from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and supported the final cleanup efforts after Beninese troops largely repelled the mutineers, according to Colonel Dieudonné Djimon Tévoédjrè, commander of the Republican Guard of Benin. Casualty figures were not released. France also provided reconnaissance, surveillance, aerial reconnaissance, and logistical support, as confirmed by the French presidential office and several reports. This support helped minimize collateral damage in residential areas where the mutineers had entrenched themselves. On December 9, the French presidential office publicly stated that it had provided support to Benin as part of a regional initiative that also involved ECOWAS. An advisor to President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that, at the government's request, France had provided "monitoring, observation, and logistical support" to Beninese troops, without confirming or denying the presence of French special forces. France's ties to Talon, also known as the "Cotton King," date back to when he rose to become one of Benin's most prominent businessmen. Paris also protected him when he fled the country around 2011 after facing corruption charges and accusations related to a plot to poison his former ally, then-President Thomas Boni Yayi. The attempted coup in Benin followed a wave of military coups in West Africa that severely weakened French influence and presence in the former colonies. The swift response by Beninese troops, France, and ECOWAS suggests prior knowledge of the coup plan. Talon and his allies may have allowed the attempt to proceed, using it as a pretext to purge the military of any opposition before the upcoming elections. Arrests were made, and the leader fled (reportedly to Togo). @https://southfront.press/french-special-forces-played-key-role-in-foiling-benin-coup/

@https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Beninese_coup_attempt @https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62v7n9wzkyo @https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/12/7/benin-attempt-coup-live-soldiers-on-state-tv-claim-to-have-toppled-talon @https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/soldiers-benins-national-television-claim-have-seized-power-2025-12-07/ @https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2pp7y2jdyo @https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20251207/auc-chairperson-strongly-condemns-attempted-military-coup-benin @https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20251210-nigeria-benin-rescue-thwarts-military-coup-sends-warning-to-volatile-region