Benin: two soldiers killed by an explosive device in the north-west of the country

Tanguiéta, entrance town of the Pendjari park in Benin (illustration).

RFI / Sidy Yansané

Text by: RFI Follow

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A vehicle of the Beninese armed forces was the target of an attack with an improvised explosive device (IED), this Thursday, January 6 near the border with Burkina Faso. 

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With our correspondent in Cotonou,

The attack took place in northwestern Benin, near the border with Burkina Faso.

According to a security source, one soldier died on the spot and the second died after his evacuation.

Nothing has been said about any injuries.

The army does not communicate, neither does the government.

Since

, the Beninese army has spoken only once through the voice of a spokesperson. 

According to our information, it was a personnel carrier that was blown up by the explosion.

Ground reinforcements were immediately mobilized to evacuate the victims and carry out search operations in the area.

This is the second time that an army vehicle has jumped on an IED.

The first such attack in early December left four slightly injured. 

The threat is taken seriously.

This attack comes only a week after

to deputies, during which he promised to strengthen the operational capacity of the Benin army in human, logistical and technical resources.

This weekend the chief of staff of the army, Fructueux Gbaguidi, was alongside the hundreds of soldiers deployed in the area.

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