Islamic militants killed a minimum of 54 troopers in northern Benin final week, the nation’s authorities has stated.
The assault occurred within the west African nation’s north-eastern Alibori division, which borders Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria.
Benin’s authorities initially stated eight troopers had died in final Thursday’s assault, however considerably revised the demise toll up on Wednesday.
Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), a Mali-based terrorist group linked to Al-Qaeda, stated it was behind the killings.
It claimed that it had killed 70 troopers, based on the SITE Intelligence Group.
Benin has seen terrorist exercise enhance in recent times, with extremist teams that function within the Sahel area launching extra cross-border assaults.
The W-Arly-Pendjari Advanced, a border space between Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger, is especially affected by this violence.
Talking in regards to the newest assault, Benin authorities spokesperson Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji stated that neighbouring nations must do extra to fight the risk posed by jihadists.
“The factors the place these assaults of 17 April occurred are on the border, so you’ll be able to perceive that if, on the opposite aspect of the border, there was a drive like ours, these assaults wouldn’t happen on this method or wouldn’t even happen,” he stated.
“The troopers who’ve fallen are our youngsters, our mother and father, our mates.”
JNIM additionally claimed accountability for an assault in early January that left 28 Beninese troopers lifeless.
