Benin: Jihadist group attacks army, killing at least 28 soldiers

Image: Jihad Watch

COTONOU: A jihadist group affiliated with Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility on Friday for an attack in northern Benin near the borders with Burkina Faso and Niger, which resulted in the deaths of at least 28 soldiers earlier this week.

The assault, marking the deadliest suffered by the Beninese army in years, occurred late Wednesday in a border area shared with insurgency-prone neighbors.

Northern Benin has seen a rise in attacks in recent years, with authorities attributing these to Islamic State and Al-Qaeda-linked groups, including the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (JNIM).

In a statement cited by the US-based Site Intelligence group, JNIM declared: “Our brothers, the mujahideen, successfully attacked a Beninese army post in Oouda, Karimama province.” The group, which operates in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, claimed over 30 fatalities and reported seizing weapons, ammunition, and a drone.

A senior military official, speaking anonymously to AFP on Thursday, confirmed the loss of 28 soldiers. Beninese authorities, typically silent on such incidents, reported in April 2023 that there had been approximately 20 cross-border attacks since 2021.

Colonel Faizou Gomina, the army chief, acknowledged the heavy losses in a statement on Thursday, describing the targeted position as one of the most fortified and militarized under Operation Mirador.

Launched in January 2022 to bolster border security amidst growing jihadist threats in West Africa, Operation Mirador deployed nearly 3,000 troops and recruited 5,000 additional personnel to safeguard the vulnerable northern region.

According to a diplomatic source, 121 Beninese military personnel have been killed between 2021 and December 2024.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)