Leadnaija
Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group, has claimed responsibility for coordinated attacks on two military bases in northern Benin Republic. The attacks, which took place on Thursday, April 17, 2025, reportedly resulted in the deaths of 70 Beninese soldiers.
In a statement released through its propaganda channels, JNIM stated that the assault targeted military positions near the northern borders with Burkina Faso and Niger, regions increasingly affected by jihadist violence. The group also published images of weapons and equipment it claimed to have seized during the attack.
Among the items JNIM allegedly captured were:
American-made M2HB heavy machine guns
Five Chinese-made PP87 mortars
51 rocket-assisted mortar shells
Three surveillance drones
Six motorcycles
64 grenades
78 Kalashnikov rifles
Over 300 ammunition magazines
Type 80 and W-85 machine guns
Type 81-1 rifles
Type 56-1 rocket launchers
T69-1 anti-tank projectiles
Although the Beninese government has not yet issued an official statement confirming the group’s claims, security sources have confirmed that military operations are currently underway in the northern region. Reinforcements have been deployed to contain the ongoing threat.
JNIM has steadily expanded its operations into coastal West African nations, including Benin, marking a shift in its focus from the traditional Sahelian region (Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso) to the wider Gulf of Guinea. The group’s activities in the region are deeply concerning as they further destabilize an already volatile area.
