The Beninese government has confirmed that 54 soldiers were killed on April 17 in coordinated attacks by armed groups in the northern regions of the country.

The La Nouvelle Tribune reported that government spokesperson Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji expressed condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers on Wednesday.

He noted in a statement that the death toll for the ranks of the Defence and Security Forces (FDS) during the attacks was not in the hundreds, contrary to information shared on social media.

The attacks targeted army positions at the tripoint area between Benin, Niger and Burkina Faso, and at the Koudou Falls.

Houngbedji said eight soldiers were killed at the Koudou Falls and 46 at the tripoint location.

He emphasised that "this does not diminish the seriousness of what happened."​

33 attackers killed

In addition to military casualties, Houngbedji reported that 33 attackers were killed in clashes with the Beninese army, and numerous injuries were recorded on both sides.​

He highlighted the need to strengthen the army's operational capabilities, particularly logistics and equipment, to address the terror threat.

Houngbedji cited a lack of cooperation with neighbouring countries as a factor in the persistence of attacks.​​​​​​​​

​Northern Benin has faced escalating attacks from terror groups linked to al-Qaeda and Daesh, infiltrating from neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.

The country deployed nearly 3,000 soldiers to secure its borders in January 2022. It later sent an additional 5,000 troops to bolster security in the north.

Twenty-eight Benin soldiers were killed near the border between Benin, Niger and Burkina Faso in January in an attack also claimed by the GSIM.