Benin's President Patrice Talon has ordered an investigation after attacks that killed some 15 people in the north of the country, the government announced, denouncing "criminal" acts. Beninese authorities rarely communicate on attacks in the northern part of the country, where the army is trying to repel incursions by jihadist groups based in neighboring Burkina Faso. The next day, the commune of Banikoara, also in the north, was attacked and three civilians were killed, according to the same sources. They want to "shock the people and make them believe that the security response is not up to the task and that they would have their salvation only by rallying to their cause," he added. Togo recently claimed that about 100 civilians and 40 military personnel had been killed since the first jihadist attacks in late 2021.

Source: The North Africa Journal May 05, 2023 04:37 UTC