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Terrorist Attack Claims Lives in Border Town of Matéri, Benin

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Justice Nwafor
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Image Credit: Open Source

A new terrorist attack in Matéri, a town in the north-west of Benin that borders Togo and Burkina Faso, has claimed the lives of two fishermen and injured another one.

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The attack took place on the river of Pendjari Park

The victims were four fishermen who were fishing on the river of Pendjari Park, a national park that covers an area of about 4,800 km2 and is home to various wildlife species. According to a source, they were attacked by three unidentified armed men who opened fire on them. Two of the fishermen died on the spot, while another one was wounded and taken to a nearby hospital. The fourth one managed to escape unharmed.

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The attackers fled after the shooting and their motives are still unknown. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

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Matéri has been a target of several terrorist attacks in recent years

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This is not the first time that Matéri, a commune and a prefecture of the Atakora Department, has been hit by terrorist attacks. In 2022 and 2023, several other attacks by armed men took place in the area, resulting in many casualties.

Matéri is located about 650 km from Cotonou, the capital of Benin, and has six districts: Matéri, Dassari, Gouandé, Nodi, Tantéga and Tchianhoun-Cossi. It has a population of about 114,000 people, mostly belonging to the Berba and Gourmantché ethnic groups.

The security situation in Matéri and other parts of northern Benin has deteriorated in recent years due to the spillover of violence from neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali, where Islamist militants have been active for years.

The Beninese authorities have deployed security forces to protect the population and the natural resources of Pendjari Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major tourist attraction. However, the park remains vulnerable to poaching and terrorist attacks.

violence Safety Security collaboration Investigation Vigilance Tragedy Community peace Law Enforcement Counter Terrorism Prayers Terrorist Attack Mourning Loss Benin Matéri Border Town Pendjari Park
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