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Türkiye condemns deadly terror attack in Benin, offers condolences to victims

Photo shows Turkey's Foreign Ministry. Foreign Ministry headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye in this undated file photo. (AA File Photo)
By Newsroom
Apr 25, 2025 1:13 AM

Türkiye on Thursday strongly condemned a terrorist attack in northern Benin that left 54 soldiers dead, expressing deep sorrow and solidarity with the West African nation.

In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Ankara was “deeply saddened” by the “heinous attack” that took place on April 17, offering condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Benin.

The government in Porto-Novo confirmed Wednesday that the soldiers were killed in coordinated assaults by armed groups.

The attacks targeted military positions at the tripoint region between Benin, Niger and Burkina Faso, including the area around Koudou Falls.

Northern Benin has witnessed a surge in violence from extremist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Daesh, which have been infiltrating from neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.

In response to growing insecurity, the Beninese government launched Operation Mirador in January 2022, deploying nearly 3,000 soldiers and recruiting an additional 5,000 personnel to strengthen defenses in high-risk regions.

Last Updated:  Apr 25, 2025 9:17 AM