Benin’s armed forces sustained heavy casualties during an attack on one of their most fortified military positions in the north, where troops have been battling cross-border incursions by Islamist militants.
Colonel Faizou Gomina, the national guard’s chief of staff, acknowledged the severity of Wednesday’s attack in a statement on Thursday but did not provide specific details about the death toll or the exact location.
However, Benin’s main opposition party, The Democrats, reported that around 30 soldiers were killed in the Alibori department, a region bordering Niger and Burkina Faso—countries grappling with persistent insurgencies by groups linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda.
“This is a very hard blow for us,” Colonel Gomina admitted in his statement, calling on military leaders to reassess their strategies.
“The position attacked yesterday was one of the strongest and most militarized,” Gomina said. “Wake up, officers and section chiefs. We have battles to win.”
The colonel urged commanders to enhance their leadership and tactics to address the growing threat posed by militant groups in the region.
Benin and its coastal neighbor Togo have experienced an uptick in attacks over recent years, as Islamist groups expand their activities beyond the central Sahel region into West Africa’s northern coastal states.
Both countries are working to curb the spread of violence, which has escalated due to cross-border raids and the shifting operations of insurgent groups.
This latest attack underscores the challenges faced by Benin’s military as it tries to bolster security in a region plagued by instability and violence.
