The Beninese government has confirmed that 54 soldiers were killed in deadly attacks staged by armed groups in the country’s northern border zone, raising fresh concerns over the deepening insecurity in the region.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, government spokesperson Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji offered condolences to the families of the victims and called for calm following the circulation of unverified figures online. “The number is not in the hundreds, as suggested by social media. Fifty-four of our Defense and Security Forces have died,” he said.
The attacks occurred on April 17 and targeted military positions at two critical locations: the Koudou Falls and the “tripoint” border area where Benin meets Niger and Burkina Faso. According to Houngbédji, eight soldiers were killed at Koudou Falls, while 46 others lost their lives in the assault near the tripoint.
In what officials described as fierce exchanges, Beninese forces managed to kill 33 of the attackers. Several injuries were also recorded, though exact numbers remain unclear.
“This loss does not lessen the severity of the situation,” Houngbédji added, emphasizing the urgent need to strengthen logistics and improve the operational capacity of the military in the face of persistent violence.
Northern Benin has faced a surge in attacks by extremist networks operating across porous borders from neighboring countries. Despite efforts to shore up security, the region remains highly vulnerable.
In January 2022, the government launched Operation Mirador, deploying around 3,000 troops and recruiting an additional 5,000 personnel to bolster defenses in the north. Still, the challenge continues to evolve. Just three months ago, 28 Beninese soldiers were killed in a similar ambush near the tripoint, an area increasingly targeted due to its strategic location.
Houngbédji acknowledged that the lack of coordinated security efforts with neighboring nations has hampered progress, urging deeper collaboration to address the threat.
As Benin grapples with rising instability, the latest assault has once again exposed the fragile security landscape at the heart of West Africa’s borderlands.