SAA event in Benin on Tue 24th February 2026

Benin 🇧🇯 – On February 24, 2026, an attack took place in the village of Kouandé, in the north of the country, targeting the local police station.

🔹 According to witnesses, unidentified armed men arrived early in the morning, around 7:00 AM, via National Route 7 from Guilmaro (to the north) before fleeing towards Sékogourou (to the northeast).

🔸 The assailants opened fire, stole two motorcycles, and destroyed three others. The former Republican Police building was set on fire. No casualties have yet been officially confirmed.

⚠️ Although, seven days earlier, JNIM terrorists, operating from Burkina Faso, ambushed the Beninese army 50 km northwest of Kouandé, no group has yet claimed responsibility for today's attack.

ℹ️ This event, however, echoes the numerous attacks on police stations perpetrated by JNIM six months earlier, in June 2025, in the same region, which resulted in several casualties among the security forces. This attack comes amid persistent pressure from armed groups coming from the north, despite efforts to strengthen security in the region.