Jihadist Group Claims Responsibility For Attack On Northern Benin’s ‘Most Militarized Operation’

The West African sub-region, including countries like Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, and Nigeria, continues to grapple with insecurity and violence fueled by terrorist attacks.

Al-Qaeda affiliate Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) claimed responsibility for the late Wednesday carnage in northern Benin on Friday.

This jihadist group, known for its operations in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, reportedly said it killed soldiers exceeding 30, and seized weapons, ammunition, and a drone.

The attack occurred near the borders of Burkina Faso and Niger, a region plagued by terrorist activities.

Benin’s Army Chief, Colonel Faizou Gomina, described the loss as “very heavy” and revealed that “the targeted position was one of the strongest and most militarized under Operation Mirador”.

This operation was launched to bolster the country’s security forces in response to the growing terrorist threat.

This attack is not an isolated incident. In December, gunmen killed three Operation Mirador soldiers and wounded four others who were guarding an oil pipeline in northeast Benin.