At least eight soldiers were killed and 13 others wounded on Thursday in a deadly attack by suspected jihadist insurgents in northern Benin. The assault, which targeted two military outposts near the border with Burkina Faso and Niger, is the latest in a growing wave of militant violence sweeping across the West African nation’s northern region.
Military sources confirmed the attack on Friday, saying it took place around the Koudou Falls area in Benin’s W National Park—a region known for its proximity to the volatile borders shared with Burkina Faso and Niger.
Two military outposts operated under Benin’s Operation Mirador anti-jihadist campaign were hit simultaneously by the insurgents. According to military sources who spoke to AFP, eight soldiers lost their lives in the line of duty, while 13 others were wounded and evacuated to nearby hospitals.
In response, the army reportedly killed 11 of the attackers in a fierce exchange of gunfire. Military operations are still ongoing in the area as security forces continue to sweep the zone to eliminate any remaining threats.
The attacks are a major blow to Benin’s security efforts in the north. Since January 2022, Benin has deployed around 3,000 troops to its northern regions under Operation Mirador—a special military initiative aimed at curbing the spread of jihadist groups. The country later added another 5,000 recruits to strengthen its security presence in the region.
Despite these efforts, the violence continues. Thursday’s deadly incident marks another alarming chapter in Benin’s struggle with the jihadist spillover from the Sahel, where extremist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have been fighting for more than a decade.
“This attack shows how persistent the threat is,” one security analyst in West Africa said. “Even with increased troops on the ground, northern Benin remains highly vulnerable due to its location near active conflict zones.”
In January 2025, 28 Beninese soldiers were killed in a similar attack in the same tri-border region. That attack was claimed by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), a jihadist coalition linked to Al-Qaeda.
Although no group has yet claimed responsibility for Thursday’s attack, a Sahel-focused investigative media group known as Wamaps has attributed the operation to JNIM’s Katibat Abou Hanifa faction, which is believed to operate in the area.
The repeated assaults are part of a larger trend of jihadist groups expanding beyond their traditional strongholds in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
Benin’s President, Patrice Talon, recently expressed frustration over deteriorating relations with Niger and Burkina Faso—two neighbouring countries now ruled by military juntas following coups.
Speaking in mid-March, President Talon warned that the lack of cooperation between Benin and its northern neighbours was undermining the fight against insurgents. The military governments in Burkina Faso and Niger have cut ties with regional organizations like ECOWAS and distanced themselves from international partners, choosing instead to align with non-Western actors such as Russia.
“There is little intelligence sharing, so Operation Mirador, which is a form of resistance by the Beninese state, is somewhat hampered,” explained Lassina Diarra, Director of the International Academy for Combating Terrorism (AILCT) based in Côte d’Ivoire.
While Benin’s northern region reels from increasing violence, its southern parts—including the economic hub Cotonou—have remained largely peaceful. The country has continued to attract international tourists, especially along the Atlantic coast.
However, the worsening security situation in the North poses a threat to national stability and long-term development goals. Many observers are concerned that the violence could eventually reach southern parts of the country if not contained quickly.
The growing crisis in northern Benin is part of a wider security problem facing West Africa. As jihadist groups push into coastal countries, there are calls for stronger support from international partners and more regional collaboration to prevent further escalation.
Benin, once considered a safe and stable country in the region, now finds itself on the frontline of a conflict that has already devastated parts of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali.
