Benin has confirmed the deaths of 54 soldiers in coordinated attacks by armed groups in the country’s troubled northern region.
Government spokesperson Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji offered condolences to the families of the fallen and rejected online rumors suggesting hundreds had died.
The assaults struck army positions near the border shared with Niger and Burkina Faso, including a deadly ambush at Koudou Falls.
Eight soldiers were killed at Koudou Falls, while 46 more died at the “triple point” border zone, a hotspot for extremist activity.
“These figures are grave, but not exaggerated as some claim,” said Houngbédji, pushing back against misinformation circulating on social media.
He reported that 33 attackers were also killed during fierce clashes, with injuries recorded on both sides of the confrontation.
Houngbédji stressed the urgent need to upgrade logistics and equipment for the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) to counter terrorism effectively.
He pointed to insufficient cooperation with neighboring countries as a key reason the region remains vulnerable to cross-border incursions.
Northern Benin has faced rising violence from extremist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Daesh, operating out of Niger and Burkina Faso.
To counter the threat, Benin launched Operation Mirador in January 2022, deploying nearly 3,000 troops and recruiting 5,000 more.
Despite these efforts, militants remain active, as seen in a January ambush at the triple border that killed 28 soldiers.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to restoring security and stability across the affected regions in the face of ongoing threats.
