Porto-Novo: 54 soldiers were killed in a attack on military posts by Islamic militants in Benin. The militants attacked the W national park in northern Benin, close to the frontiers with Burkina Faso and Niger. This the heaviest toll since jihadist attacks began in the northern part of the country. The al Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims ( Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen or JNIM) claimed the attack.
JNIM is one of several jihadist groups operating in West Africa’s Sahel region, especially Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Benin and Togo have seen a rise in jihadist activity in recent years, as groups linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda spread to the south.
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Benin deployed nearly 3,000 soldiers to secure its borders in January 2022. It later sent an additional 5,000 troops to bolster security in the north. 28 Benin soldiers were killed near the border between Benin, Niger and Burkina Faso in January in an attack also claimed by the JNIM.
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