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The United States has announced that it has lifted a shelter-in-place order for American citizens in Benin Republic and declared that the security situation is calm following a failed coup attempt against President Patrice Talon on Sunday.
The US Embassy in Cotonou made this announcement in a short tweet on Monday.
The Embassy disclosed that it assesses that “the situation in Cotonou is calm and has returned to normal.”
“The U.S. Embassy in Cotonou assesses that the situation in Cotonou is calm and has returned to normal,” the Embassy wrote.
“We are lifting the shelter in place recommendation.”
It also urged U.S. citizens to take precautions and monitor local media for updates, avoid crowds, demonstrations, keep a low profile and notify friends and family of your safety.
In a separate tweet, the Embassy also announced that it will resume normal operations beginning Tuesday, December 9, 2025 including all visa and passport services.
The consular section will contact applicants who were unable to complete their interviews on December 8, 2025 and reschedule their appointments for a later date, the Embassy added.
Early on Sunday, eight soldiers who called themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation declared on state television that they had toppled President Talon, who has been in power since 2016, including the dissolution of the government and suspension of all state institutions.
The soldiers said Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri had been appointed president of the military committee.
In their televised statement, the coup plotters mentioned the deteriorating security situation in northern Benin, “coupled with the disregard and neglect of our fallen brothers-in-arms”.
Later that day, the Interior Minister, Alassane Seidou, said in a statement that Benin’s armed forces had foiled the attempted coup.
