A group of Beninese military personnel on Sunday declared that they had overthrown President Patrice Talon, who is expected to leave office next April after a decade in power.

The soldiers, identifying themselves as the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR), announced on state television that they had convened and resolved that “Mr. Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic.”

Talon’s whereabouts remain unknown as of the announcement. The French Embassy, in a post on X, confirmed reports of gunfire around Camp Guezo, located near the president’s official residence, and advised French nationals in the country to stay indoors for their safety.