The Benin army launched an operation last week that killed nine gunmen following an attack that killed one soldier and wounded two others. The clashes took place in the northern commune of Karimama, close to the Niger border, an area where extreme violence has escalated in recent months.
The attack involved air and ground operations that destroyed a key logistics hub used by the gunmen, according to military sources. The attack followed a deadly explosion in the nearby community of Kantoro, where an improvised explosive device (IED) killed a Benin soldier.
Northern Benin faces a growing threat from rebel groups, which have expanded their operations from neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger. While the southern part of the country, including the economic capital Cotonou, remains stable and continues to attract international tourists, the northern regions have seen frequent attacks on military positions and communities.
Benin has taken several steps to combat rising insecurity, including deploying around 3,000 troops in 2022 under Operation Mirador and hiring 5,000 additional personnel to strengthen security. In February, six Benin soldiers were killed in an attack by unidentified gunmen, prompting a military response that killed 17 attackers. A month earlier, 28 soldiers were killed in an attack claimed by a rebel group.
The escalating violence has raised concerns about extremist insurgencies spilling over from the Sahel to the West African coast. In response to these threats, Benin recently signed a bilateral security agreement with the United States aimed at strengthening military cooperation. But some analysts argue that relying solely on military solutions may not address the deeper political and social tensions that fuel such conflicts.