Benin: several rangers killed in an ambush in the W transfrontier park

(Illustration) Sunset over the Niger River in W. Park on the border between Niger, Benin and Burkina Faso.

© Hama Abdou

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Fatal incidents on Tuesday in the W cross-border park, shared between Niger, Benin and Burkina Faso, attributed to armed terrorist groups: five rangers and a Beninese soldier were killed while on patrol.

This is the heaviest toll since Benin began to face attacks from terrorist groups.

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With our correspondent in Cotonou,

Jean-Luc Aplogan

At least “ 

six dead

 ” and “ 

a dozen injured

 ”,

according to a press release from African Parks

published on Wednesday evening February 9.

In detail, five rangers and a soldier of the Beninese armed forces died – a provisional assessment, specifies the same press release.

According to the South African NGO which manages the Beninese part of

the W park

, it was on Tuesday that a Rangers team was ambushed.

These are the guards who provide security in the parks.

According to our information, after the first incident on Tuesday afternoon, there was a second: a vehicle of the Beninese armed forces, dispatched to provide assistance, would have suffered the same fate or would have jumped on a homemade device.

The versions differ according to the sources, and African Parks, the only one to have communicated on the subject, speaks only of ambush, for the moment.

The injured are being cared for in a local hospital.

Reinforcements have been deployed there.

It is with deep regret that we share that on February 8th a team of rangers was ambushed in W National Park, Benin.

Initial reports tragically indicate several deaths & injuries.

We are working closely with the Government to intensify safety in the region https://t.co/sR5LynsE33 pic.twitter.com/FYxwWTcWr1

— African Parks (@AfricanParks) February 9, 2022

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  • Benign

  • Burkina Faso

  • Niger

  • Terrorism