Al Qaeda affiliate struck Benin, leaving a trail of bloodshed and destruction

An Al Qaeda affiliate, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for the deaths of 70 soldiers in Benin, marking one of the deadliest attacks in the region’s recent history.
This story is not just another headline; it is a reminder of how the Sahel insurgency, which began in Mali in 2012.

The insurgency has metastasized like a cancer, spreading its violence into neighboring countries like Burkina Faso, Niger, and now Benin. Benin, once considered a relatively stable nation, now finds itself grappling with the same chaos that has plagued its northern neighbors.

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A statement by Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) says 70 soldiers were killed in attacks on two military posts in Benin’s northeastern Kandi province in the Alibori department, a region over 500 kilometers from the capital, Cotonou.

This is not just about Benin; it is more about a region abandoned by its so-called allies. These terrorist attacks have killed thousands and displaced millions, contributing to military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger between 2020 and 2023.

After the series of military coups, these nations severed ties with traditional Western powers like France and the U.S., opting instead to cozy up to Russia. And what has that achieved? More violence, more instability, and more lives lost.

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