Government forces, with help from neighboring countries, have stopped an attempted military coup in the West African nation of Benin. The event happened on Sunday when a group of soldiers tried to take control of the government. They took over the national television station and announced that the president was removed. However, their plan did not succeed.
The trouble started early in the morning. Soldiers who called themselves the "Military Committee for Refoundation" entered the TV station. They said on air that they were ending the government. At the same time, there was shooting near the president's home in the city of Cotonou. The soldiers also took two army officials as hostages.
The government reacted very quickly. Benin asked its neighbor, Nigeria, for help. Nigeria's president sent fighter jets into Benin's airspace. These jets helped to push the rebel soldiers out of the TV station and a military camp. People in Cotonou reported hearing large explosions in the afternoon, likely from this action.
By the end of the day, the situation was under control. The Interior Minister said security forces arrested 14 people connected to the plot. They also freed the two hostages. Soldiers are still looking for others who were involved.
This event is important for the whole region. A group of West African countries, known as ECOWAS, sent a special force to Benin. Their job is to support the legal government and keep the country stable. This shows that countries in the area are working together to stop military takeovers. While the coup in Benin has failed, it reminds everyone that political peace in the region can be fragile.