The American Embassy in Benin said on Sunday that it was monitoring “unconfirmed reports of a coup by members of the military” and added that gunshots had been reported in Cotonou, the capital of the West African country.
Benin’s interior minister, Alassane Seidou, said on national television that the situation was under control after “small group of soldiers launched a mutiny with the goal of destabilizing the state and its institutions.” He said government soldiers had stayed “loyal.”
“Their response allowed them to maintain control of the situation and thwart the maneuver,” Mr. Seidou added, but the situation was murky. President Patrice Talon has not been seen in public nor made a statement since a group of soldiers claimed to have taken control earlier in the day.
The reports of unrest in Benin are the latest instance of broadening political instability in West Africa, where several coups have taken place in recent years.
Less than two weeks ago, President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau was deposed. But the opposition claimed that the coup was “fabricated” to keep him in power, saying that Mr. Embaló had installed allies from the military so that he could rule by proxy.
The account from the American mission in Benin was supported by a similar report from the French Embassy, which said that there were reports of gunshots near the residence of Mr. Talon.
There were conflicting reports about who held power. The comments from Mr. Seidou came several hours after news outlets, including Reuters and The Associated Press, reported that a group of soldiers declared on state-run television that they had seized power early on Sunday morning.
A screenshot, shared on Facebook by the independence news outlet Benin Web TV, showed at least eight soldiers in fatigues behind a newscaster’s desk.
The appearance by the soldiers has not been rebroadcast, and The Associated Press reported that state television and public radio had ceased broadcasting after their announcement. The statement could not be immediately viewed by The New York Times, and there were no further public claims from the soldiers.
The Benin government has released no update about Mr. Talon’s condition or whereabouts. The president, senior ministers and a top government spokesman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Amelia Nierenberg is a Times reporter covering international news from London.
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