PRETORIA, December 7. /TASS/. Rebel leader Pascal Tigri, who lead an attempted coup in Benin, is currently in hiding, the 24 Heures au Benin news portal reported.

According to the news portal, searches for the coupist leader are underway in the country. Earlier, National Guard units surrounded the building of Benin’s state television and radio broadcasting corporation in Cotonou headquartering the rebel leaders.

According to the Actualites 229 news portal, 13 rebels who took part in the TV company building’s seizure have been arrested but Tigri and several other officers managed to escape.

On Sunday morning, Tigri went on the air from the TV broadcaster’s head office to announce a state coup and ousting President Patrice Talon. He also announced the establishment of a military committee for reforms and the suspension of the work of all government institutions. However, he was interrupted and could not read it out to the end.

Benin’s authorities have already said that the putsch was suppressed and constitutional order was restored throughout the country.