The West African country of Benin said on Sunday that it had foiled an attempted military coup.
The development was a reminder of the instability of democracies in the region, where militaries have in recent years seized power in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Guinea and last month in Guinea-Bissau.
Insurgents are displacing millions in the region as they expand outward from the Sahel.
The government vowed retribution and said 14 soldiers were arrested over the alleged coup attempt.
The former French colony had been seen as one of Africa’s more stable democracies: The country’s last successful coup took place in 1972. But President Patrice Talon has faced accusations of suppressing criticism.