The Commander of Benin’s Republican Guard, Colonel Dieudonné Djimon Tewodjre, revealed today that France deployed special forces to support the army in responding to the attempted coup that occurred in the country early Sunday morning.
Speaking to DZWatch News, Colonel Tewodjre stated that French special forces were dispatched from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to Benin. He added that these forces participated in mopping-up operations after the Beninese army had completed its primary mission. According to the commander, the situation in Cotonou, Benin’s largest city, is now under control.
The French presidency reportedly confirmed on Tuesday that Paris supported the Beninese government within a regional framework that included aerial strikes by Nigeria against the coup plotters. An aide to French President Emmanuel Macron indicated that France provided “surveillance, monitoring, and logistical support” to the Beninese army at the government’s request. However, the aide neither confirmed nor denied the deployment of French troops on the ground.
The attempted coup in Benin on Sunday follows a series of military coups in West Africa, including in neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso. These events have led to a decline in French influence in its former colonies.
Colonel Tewodjre, who personally led the response to the attack on the presidential residence early Sunday, estimated the number of coup plotters to be around one hundred. He explained that the instigators possessed “significant capabilities,” including armored vehicles. However, he noted that despite relying on the “element of surprise,” they did not receive support from other units.
The Republican Guard Commander did not provide a specific count of casualties from Sunday’s events. However, he indicated that the coup plotters “left with the dead and wounded” following their attempt to attack the presidential residence after a “fierce battle.”
“It could have been worse,” Tewodjre stated. “As soldiers and individuals loyal to the republic, we simply did our duty.”
DZWatch News will continue to follow this developing story.
Keywords: Benin, Coup, France, West Africa, Military, Special Forces
