BENIN President Patrice Talon condemned on Sunday an attempted coup that was foiled by the country’s army.

A group of soldiers appeared on Benin’s state TV earlier on Sunday to announce the dissolution of the government in an apparent coup, which would have been the latest of many in west Africa. The group called itself the Military Committee for Refoundation.

Later, Interior Minister Alassane Seidou announced in a video on Facebook that the attempted coup had been “foiled.”

“I would also like to take this opportunity to express my condolences to the victims of this senseless adventure, as well as to those still being held by the fleeing mutineers,” the president said in a televised address to the nation.

“I assure them that we will do everything in our power to find them safe and sound.”

Mr Talon did not provide details of casualties in Sunday’s attempted coup. Local media later reported the arrest of 13 soldiers. But it was unclear if Lt Col Pascal Tigri, the coup leader, had been apprehended.

The coup attempt is the latest in a string of military takeovers and attempted takeovers that have rocked west Africa.

Last month, a coup in Guinea-Bissau ousted former president Umaro Embalo after a contested election in which both he and the opposition candidate declared themselves winners.