complete confusion in Cotonou, troopers announce the dismissal of Patrice Talon | EUROtoday

Cotonou wakened in the course of a safety fog. At daybreak, an tried coup plunged the nation into chaos. According to a number of safety sources, a gaggle of armed males – troopers supported by “external elements” near mercenaries – focused the presidential zone earlier than seizing the general public tv, ORTB.

From the tv information set, males in fatigues, claiming to behave beneath the authority of Lieutenant-Colonel Pascal Tigri, proclaimed the creation of a “Military Committee for Refoundation”, of which Tigri would now be president, and introduced that they’d “removed from office” the top of state Patrice Talon, who was supposed to go away energy in April after ten years on the head of the nation.

Response from the Republican Guard?

But the operation is way from being beneath management. Shortly after this televised announcement, heavy gunfire rang out across the perimeter of the port and the presidency. Units of the Republican Guard, remaining loyal to the top of state, launched a counter-offensive to regain management of the strategic website. Traffic across the marina was instantly blocked, helicopters flew over the realm and several other roads in Cotonou have been reduce off.

No official info has but been given on the destiny of Patrice Talon.

According to the primary info collected by Africa Pointthe United States Embassy despatched a safety alert to its nationals shortly after 5 a.m., mentioning “exchanges of gunfire” within the Guézo district, the place the president’s non-public residence is situated, visibly focused.

The French embassy additionally referred to as on its nationals to “exercise the greatest caution”.

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