HARARE, December 7. /TASS/. Nigeria’s air force has struck putschist targets in the capital city of neighboring Benin, AFP reported citing a Nigerian air force spokesman.

"The Nigerian air forces conducted operation in Benin in line with the protocols of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the regional standby force," it cited Ehimen Ejodamen. He did not specify however which targets were hit.

According to the Nigerian Makama news portal, the strike was delivered on the putschists when they were trying to flee the capital city of Cotonou in armored vehicles. The attack was greenlighted by Benin’s legitimate government. Witnesses reported numerous blasts in various part of the city.

Benin’s government said earlier that its troops had thwarted an attempted state coup staged by a group of the military on Sunday morning when they announced on the national television that President Patrice Talon had been removed from office. Some of the putschists have been arrested. The government says that it controls the situation in the country.