SUSPECTED JIHADIST ATTACK IN BENIN KILLS 54 SOLDIERS IN DEADLIEST ASSAULT TO DATE

An Emirati Magazine publication – Released on April 24,2025 | www.emiratimagazine.com

A deadly attack by suspected jihadist insurgents claimed the lives of 54 soldiers in northern Benin’s W National Park on April 17, according to a government update. Initially, only eight deaths were reported, but the toll was revised during a press briefing by government spokesman Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji. The ambush, the deadliest since jihadist violence began in the region, occurred near the borders with Burkina Faso and Niger.

The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, claimed responsibility, asserting 70 soldiers were killed. Houngbedji acknowledged the severity, saying, “Even if it’s not 70… it’s a lot.” He emphasized the human cost, calling the fallen soldiers “our children, our parents, our friends.” To counter the growing threat, Benin deployed nearly 8,000 troops to its northern borders since early 2022. A similar attack in January near the tri-border area had previously left 28 soldiers dead, also claimed by GSIM.