Eight soldiers were killed in northern Benin on Thursday during an attack by suspected militants. The assault targeted two military outposts in the W National Park, which borders Niger and Burkina Faso.
Military sources confirmed the fatalities and reported 13 soldiers wounded. Additionally, 11 militants were killed in the ensuing firefight. The attack occurred at two positions of the Mirador anti-militant operation near Koudou Falls.
This incident marks the latest in a series of militant assaults in northern Benin, an area increasingly plagued by violence linked to insurgents from neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger. Both countries have struggled with ongoing conflicts involving groups affiliated with ISIS and Al-Qaeda.
Benin has ramped up its military presence in the region, deploying nearly 3,000 troops in 2022 for Operation Mirador and reinforcing the effort with an additional 5,000 soldiers. Despite these measures, Benin’s northern region has become a focal point for militant activity.
While the economic capital, Cotonou, remains largely unaffected, the northern border area is now a hotbed of insurgent attacks. The country’s security forces are continuing operations to clear the area of any remaining militants.
In January, 28 Beninese soldiers were killed in a similar attack. Though the recent assault has not been claimed by any group, the militant faction likely responsible is the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), specifically its Katibat Abou Hanifa branch.
Beninese President Patrice Talon has expressed concerns over strained relations with Niger and Burkina Faso’s military juntas, complicating intelligence-sharing and collaborative counterterrorism efforts.
