The government of the Benin Republic says 54 soldiers were killed in an attack by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an affiliate of Al Qaeda, in the country’s north last week.
The figure provided by the government is a lower toll than the 70 reported by JNIM after raids on two military posts in northern Benin, according to Reuters.
The raids took place on Saturday, the report quoted the SITE Intelligence Group as saying.
“Heavy losses for the nation,” wrote Serge Nonvignon, a presidential spokesman, in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
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The Benin Republic and neighbouring Togo have seen a rise in jihadist activity in recent years, as groups linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda have spread from the Sahel region into northern areas.
Also, Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji, another government spokesperson, was quoted as saying that Benin has decided to proceed with the battle against the jihadists.
“We can’t give in… I can guarantee you that eventually, eventually, we are going to win,” he mentioned.
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The Sahel insurgency took root after a Tuareg rebellion in north Mali in 2012 and spread into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger before reaching the north of coastal West African countries such as Benin more recently, according to reports.
Thousands have been killed and millions displaced by the conflict, which contributed to spurring five military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger between 2020 and 2023.
A report in July 2024 said there is ample evidence that jihadi fighters from the Sahel region have crossed into Nigeria through the Benin Republic border.
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