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Legitimate authorities regain control of situation in Benin — news agency

It was a small group of rebels who had access to television, a source told the agency

PRETORIA, December 7. /TASS/. The legally formed government of Benin is regaining control of the situation in the country after a group of servicemen announced a coup this morning, AFP reported, citing sources close to President Patrice Talon.

"This is a small group of rebels who had access to television," the news agency quoted a source as saying. "The regular army is regaining control of the situation. The capital, Porto-Novo, and the country's largest city, Cotonou, are completely safe," the source pointed out.

AFP specified that the presidential palace in Porto-Novo was attacked by rebels in the morning, but Talon himself is safe.

Benin's Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari said that parts of the army and the national guard had regained control of the situation in the country. "There is an attempt [at a coup] but the situation is under control," Reuters quoted him as saying. "A large part of the army is still loyalist and we are taking over the situation," the top diplomat said.

Bakari added that, on Sunday morning, the rebels had only seized the state TV building and broadcast a statement about the coup.

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