As violence attributed to jihadists based in neighboring countries rises, a security source told AFP on Thursday that an attack in northern Benin claimed the lives of 28 soldiers.
According to the senior official, the strike happened Wednesday night close to the border between Niger and Burkina Faso, which are both affected by insurgencies.
Authorities have blamed members of neighboring Al-Qaeda and Islamic State groups for the rise in attacks in northern Benin in recent years.
The cleanup efforts are still ongoing. According to the military source, forty attackers have been eliminated thus far.
The majority of the violence has occurred along the Burkina Faso border.
In December, gunmen in northeastern Benin killed three soldiers and injured four more while they were manning an oil pipeline.
An attack at Pendjari National Park, which is on the Burkina Faso border, in June claimed the lives of seven Beninese soldiers.
About 20 cross-border incursions since 2021 were reported in April 2023 by Beninese authorities, who don’t usually comment on attacks.
Between 2021 and December 2024, 121 Beninese military personnel were killed, a diplomatic source told AFP.
“Intensifying”
“It is evident that the threat is growing at the moment; the worse things get in Niger and Burkina Faso, the more difficult things get for Benin,” the diplomatic source stated earlier this week.
The source went on to say that the Beninese army was still “under construction” and that it was difficult to train its soldiers while still being able to function.
The source added, “There are results, (the Beninese army) can kill terrorists but do not want to communicate about it so it is not always visible -— especially so because it is anxiety-inducing and not to inform the jihadists of their strategy.”
As part of Operation Mirador, Benin sent out almost 3,000 troops to guard its borders in January 2022.
The country’s authorities also recruited 5,000 more soldiers to enhance security in the north.
Read Also: Court Orders Freeze on Nduka Obaigbena’s Bank Assets
The United States in November supplied $6.6 million worth of armored vehicles and defensive equipment to Benin, while the European Union earlier this year committed 47 million euros ($49 million) in anti-terror aid for the country.
Washington’s cooperation is “a valuable support for the armed forces in their defence missions”, Beninese Defence Minister Fortunet Alain Nouatin stated at the time.
Neighbouring Ghana and Togo have also seen Islamist strikes in recent years.
Join Television Nigerian Whatsapp Now
Join Television Nigerian Facebook Now
Join Television Nigerian Twitter Now
Join Television Nigerian YouTUbe Now
