FRANCE QUIETLY HELPED BENIN FOIL A COUP
Over the weekend, Benin faced a sudden coup attempt that could have shaken the region but it was stopped before it could gain ground.
Soldiers seized the national TV station on Sunday and announced that President Patrice Talon had been removed.
But the situation turned around quickly. Beninese forces, supported by Nigerian airstrikes and troops, regained control within hours.
A new detail has now emerged: France secretly supported the operation.
A senior aide to President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that Paris provided surveillance and logistical support, at Benin’s request.
Macron also coordinated with other West African leaders as the crisis unfolded.
This coup attempt comes at a tense moment for the region. West Africa has been hit by a wave of coups — in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and most recently Guinea-Bissau — all weakening French influence in its former colonies.
A successful coup in Benin would have been another major setback for France’s role in the region.