AFRICA Has Benin Suffered its First Terrorist Attack?

OE Watch Commentary: Benin is a country in coastal West Africa that neighbors other countries such as Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria that have been facing serious threats from terrorist groups. However, Benin did not experience any terrorist attacks on its territory until one that appears to have occurred on 4 May. According to the accompanying passage from French-language rfi.fr, a Beninese tour guide and two French citizens went missing in the north of the country at the Pendjari National Park on 4 May. The park is located along the border with Burkina Faso, which has suffered dozens of terrorist attacks, including kidnappings of foreigners in recent months.

While the article indicates that both French and Burkinabe authorities are still investigating the incident, there is reason to be pessimistic: terrorist groups aligned with al-Qaeda or the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) most likely abducted them. One key clue in this assessment, according to the article, is that someone was found dead in the park near where the three were traveling. This was probably the Beninese tour guide. The two French tourists were not found, however, meaning they must have been taken captive. Until the two of them are located, or perhaps seen in a proof-of-life video released by a terrorist group, the French and Beninese Map of Africa showing Benin. authorities are urging caution and refusing to make any Source: TUBS via Wikimedia, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Benin_in_Africa_(-mini_map_-rivers).svg, CC BY-SA 3.0 conclusions about the case. Source: “Bénin: un Béninois et deux Français toujours portés disparus (Benin: According to the article, one reason why terrorist groups A Beninese and two Frenchmen are still missing),” rfi.fr, 5 May 2019. http:// www.rfi.fr/afrique/20190504-benin-guide-beninois-deux-francais-disparus- may have just recently moved into Benin is that the parc-pendjari Burkinabe security forces have engaged in an offensive against terrorist groups in the east of the country since In Benin, a Beninese tourist guide and two French nationals have been March. Therefore, the terrorist groups may have withdrawn missing in the north of the country. The group was due to return to their hotel Wednesday night after an excursion to the Pendjari National Park, located across the border into Benin. Benin was prepared for this on the border with Burkina Faso. According to the French authorities, the eventuality. The article notes that Burkina Faso had warned investigation is still ongoing. The search is continuing in northern Benin. of possible terrorist infiltration as a result of the offensive. There is very little information on the precise circumstances of this Considering these details, it may only be a matter of time disappearance. From certain sources, a body in a state of decomposition, before it is confirmed that the two French tourists are in the who was impossible to identify, was discovered in the park. The information hands of a terrorist group. If somehow this is not the case has been confirmed by the Beninese authorities, but for Cotonou, this major discovery does not allow, at this stage, the drawing of conclusions about the and they are alive and safe, Benin can breathe a sigh of fate of the three missing people. relief, but the threat will not go away easily. End OE Watch Pendjari National Park is precisely on the border with Burkina Faso. The Commentary (Zenn) country launched in mid-March a wide-reaching counter-terrorism operation in the eastern part of its territory and, on that occasion, it informed bordering “We are faced with something we countries about the risk of having suspected jihadists retreat to their territories. do not understand.”

OE Watch | June 2019 49