Original image, AFP
- Writer, Paul Njie & Wycliffe Muia
- Name the person who wrote the story, BBC News
The authorities of Benin said that the country’s military forces faced a serious attack near the border of the country with the countries of Niger and Burkina Faso.
The Chief of Army Staff, Colonel Faizou Gomina, said that one of the strongest military bases in the Alibori area in the north of the country was attacked on Wednesday evening.
“We faced a serious attack on our camp,” said Colonel Gomina.
Recently, the country has been facing an increase in attacks in the northern part of the country.
Something suspected of those who claim jihad living in neighboring countries and launch.
More than 120 Benin soldiers were killed between 2021 and December last year, as a diplomatic source told AFP.
Last month, some gunmen killed three soldiers, and wounded four, who were in charge of the oil pipeline in the northeast of the country.
Colonel Gomina did not reveal the number of soldiers killed in the attack on Wednesday, but the country’s main opposition party, ‘Democrats’, said that around 30 soldiers were killed in the Alibori area, according to the Reuters news agency. he reported.
However, the AFP news agency quoted a military source as saying that 28 soldiers were killed in the attack.
“We are still assessing the damage, and we have killed 40 terrorists during the attack,” said the military source.
Colonel Gomina said the attack was, “one of the biggest attacks”.
Also, the chief of the army called on the commanders of the army to improve their plans to deal with any kind of security threat.
“Our main forces and the leaders of our bases, stand up, there is a lot of work ahead of us,” he said.
In 2022, Benin deployed about 3,000 troops near its borders to solve the security problem in the country.
