Highlights: Since 2019, northern Benin has repeatedly been the scene of terrorist attacks. These groups, present in the Sahel countries, are trying to expand towards the Gulf of Guinea. To defend itself against this threat, Beninese authorities have put in place a strategy. Operation Mirador crisscrosses the north of the country, with the aim of trying to prevent incursions by armed groups and their possible descent further south. The most exposed areas are currently those bordering Burkina Faso to the west.

Since 2019, Benin has been facing terrorist attacks in the north of its territory. To defend themselves against these jihadist groups that are trying to extend from the Sahel to the Gulf of Guinea, the authorities...

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How Benin has been responding to terrorist activities in the north of its territory since 2022

Since 2019, Benin has been facing terrorist attacks in the north of its territory. To defend themselves against these jihadist groups trying to expand from the Sahel to the Gulf of Guinea, the Beninese authorities have put in place a military response, with the "Mirador" operation, but not only.

Beninese soldiers patrolling as part of Operation Mirador. © Magali Lagrange/RFI

By: Magali Lagrange Follow

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Since 2019, northern Benin has repeatedly been the scene of terrorist attacks. These groups, present in the Sahel countries, are trying to expand towards the Gulf of Guinea. To defend itself against this threat, Benin has put in place a strategy, including a military one.

In early 2022, following the attack on a military post on the border with Burkina Faso, the Beninese army launched Operation Mirador, in order to fight terrorism and secure its borders.

Crisscrossing the north of the country

With about 3,000 men, Operation Mirador is deployed in the northern departments. Rural areas, in which are also located the two large national parks that are the Pendjari and the W, currently closed to tourists because of this insecurity.

A special recruitment of 5,000 people has also begun this year to strengthen the workforce.

The soldiers of Operation Mirador crisscross this territory, with the aim of trying to prevent incursions by armed groups and their possible descent further south.

The most exposed areas are currently those bordering Burkina Faso to the west. Lt. Col. Assouma Abdouraoufou, commander of the combined arms battle group for the western area of Operation Mirador, says the military response has evolved significantly.

" READ ALSO Guest Africa - Fight against terrorism: "For the moment, we have not found the presence of any permanent cell in Benin"

A lot has been put in place, he says. The first is the projection of our forces on places that were not yet occupied by the army. The second is that we have equipment. We were surprised by the threat in 2019 but today, gradually, we have had to acquire equipment that helps us project forces and ensure logistics on the different positions."

New equipment includes drones, armored vehicles or helicopters. The army also expects to strengthen partnerships with neighbouring countries. Niger, where a coup d'état took place on 26 July 2023, has just denounced the agreement reached just over a year ago with Benin.

Three jihadist groups behind the attacks, according to the Beninese army

The Beninese army evokes three groups behind attacks on Beninese soil: JNIM (the group for the support of Islam and Muslims), Ansaru and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS).

The General Staff affirms that, to its knowledge, there is no cell permanently established on the national territory, and that Benin is, for these groups, a transit zone between the Sahel and Nigeria, for trafficking and supplies.

What are these groups looking for by attacking Benin? For Colonel Faïzou Gomina, commander of Mirador, they want to "provoke population displacements. And when these populations empty the place, it will be a problem of management of the displaced, and it will allow them to settle in the empty spaces. I think that's what they're looking for, because there's no ideological claim, no land claim, no claim that we know of."

The modus operandi of terrorists has evolved over time. Their attacks first targeted the defense and security forces, then civilians, as when about fifteen people were killed in the commune of Kérou last May.

The General Staff gives an overall toll of 43 civilians and 25 Beninese soldiers killed, as well as 63 assailants neutralized, in terrorist acts.

Don't bet everything on the military response

As in other countries facing the terrorist threat, many actors also ask not to bet everything on the military response. Benin, which relies heavily on the cooperation of the people of the North, has set up civil-military actions, which may include, for example, digging a well or providing access to medical consultations. There is also work to raise public awareness.

A number of partners believe that insecurity or radicalization are a response to a social situation of exclusion and that we must work for inclusion, explains Emmanuel Sambieni, anthropologist at the University of Parakou and deputy director of Lasdel in Benin. Thus, over time, we will have fewer candidates for recruitment to feed the hotbeds of attacks. There have also been trainings, given by NGOs in the communities, to explain how to react when we are in a situation of insecurity related to this phenomenon."

In an article published a few weeks ago, the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) stressed the importance of people's cooperation against violent extremism. But this depends, according to the ISS, on the state's ability to guarantee the safety of these civilians.

How Benin has been responding to terrorist activities in the north of its territory since 2022

How Benin has been responding to terrorist activities in the north of its territory since 2022

Crisscrossing the north of the country

Three jihadist groups behind the attacks, according to the Beninese army

Don't bet everything on the military response

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