Benin confirms 54 soldiers killed in coordinated attacks by extremists near its northern borders; government vows to strengthen security amid rising regional threats.

The Beninese government has confirmed that dozens were killed in coordinated attacks carried out by armed groups in the northern region of the country. According to La Nouvelle Tribune, government spokesperson Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji conveyed condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives.

In a statement made on Wednesday, Houngbédji addressed rumors circulating on social media, clarifying that the number of Defense and Security Forces (FDS) casualties was not in the hundreds. He confirmed that 54 soldiers were killed in total. The attacks, which occurred on April 17, targeted military positions at the tripoint area between Benin, Niger, and Burkina Faso, as well as at the Koudou Falls.

Houngbédji detailed that eight soldiers were killed at the Koudou Falls, while 46 died at the tripoint location. He stressed that these losses were significant and underscored the gravity of the attacks. In addition to the military casualties, he reported that 33 of the attackers were also killed during confrontations with Beninese forces, and both sides suffered numerous injuries.

He pointed out the urgent need to reinforce the operational capacity of the armed forces, especially in terms of logistics and equipment, to effectively counter the ongoing terrorist threat. Houngbédji also cited the lack of collaboration with neighboring countries as a contributing factor to the continued violence in the region.

Northern Benin has been experiencing a surge in attacks by extremist groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and Daesh, which are believed to be infiltrating from Burkina Faso and Niger. In response, the Beninese government launched Operation Mirador in January 2022, deploying nearly 3,000 soldiers and recruiting an additional 5,000 to enhance security in the most vulnerable areas.

Despite these efforts, the region remains unstable. A deadly ambush in January at the "triple point" border area led to the deaths of 28 soldiers in an attack that was claimed by Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin, an al-Qaeda-affiliated group.