Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Cotonou (Agenzia Fides) - "The Bishops of Benin express their deepest sympathy to the entire nation and to the grieving families of our soldiers who fell in the line of duty," said the Bishops of Benin on the sidelines of the 75th Plenary Assembly of the Bishops' Conference, which took place from May 21 to 23. The bishops commemorated the 54 soldiers killed in two attacks by an Islamist terrorist group on April 17 in the north of the country. "Aware of the sacrifices made to preserve peace and security in our country, we pray for the eternal rest of these heroes."
The bishops also remembered the soldiers who continue their mission against terrorism in northern Benin. "We also pray for their brothers and sisters in arms who are still on the front lines, that the Lord may be their shield and their protection."
The attack on April 17, the bloodiest since the beginning of Islamist attacks in 2019, shocked the people of Benin. One hundred fighters belonging to the "Group for the Support for Islam and Muslims" (JNIM) on motorcycles simultaneously attacked two army outposts, one located in the so-called "tri-border area" (where the borders of Benin, Niger, and Burkina Faso converge), while the other is stationed near the Koudou Falls, not far from the town of Banikoara. On January 8, an Islamist attack near Karimama, in the same region, killed about 30 soldiers. The tri-border area has become an unsafe zone due to the presence of Islamist groups, which often collaborate with fuel traders in neighboring Nigeria. On the Beninese side, the area is part of the Pendjari National Park, one of the country's five nature reserves.
Meanwhile, the presence of Islamist groups also jeopardizes the conservation of the area's biodiversity and threatens tourism, which plays a vital role in the local economy. As part of Operation "Mirador," the Beninese army has deployed around 3,000 soldiers along the border in the north of the country, where defensive barriers have been erected with the help of drones and satellite images to thwart Islamist attacks, while the country's defense budget has been increased by 50 percent. However, this is not enough to thwart the actions of Islamist terrorist groups in eastern Burkina Faso, a country with which the Beninese authorities are struggling to coordinate to face the common threat. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 28/5/2025)
