A group of six in the afternoon elephants – some darker and others smaller than their savannah counterparts – bathing by a huge pool of water hidden by bushes. Two puppies having fun playing with each other. It seems that none of the animals were aware of the existence. alligators, only the tips of their noses and the protrusions of their eyes protrude above the water surface. Above all, the song of countless birds floats, whose colors illuminate the idyllic picture.
It is an oasis in the desert that is part of the extension of the desert. W national park north Benin. The protected area is part of the territory. W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (WAP)Spread over a total area of 50,000 square kilometers in the border region of Benin, Burkina Faso And Niger. It is Turkey’s largest nature reserve. West Africa, with lions, cheetahs and antelopes and was a popular tourist destination a few years ago. Benin has come to count 6,000 annual visitors from all over the world. But this trend has come to a sudden halt indefinitely. The national parks were closed two years ago and no one knows when they will open. The reason for this is Islamic terrorist organizations that use forests as their field of activity.
The first incident occurred in Benin in 2020. kidnapping of two french tourists. In December 2021, a Benin military patrol was attacked and since then the attacks have not stopped. More than 60 attacks have been carried out by armed Islamists this year alone, killing more than 50 people, including four park rangers and two drivers. This May, extremists decapitated at least 15 people and kidnapped a dozen residents in a town in the north of the country.
spread chaos
jihadists want spread chaos already happening in other countries. FinancialBurkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria. They are militants from the Islamic State (IS), but above all from the rising JNIM (Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen, Front to Support Islam and Muslims). JNIM is a group of different terrorist militias affiliated with Al Qaeda, which has a great command of social networks and knows how to exploit ethnic sensitivities. This particularly includes land and water disputes between sedentary farmers and nomadic herders. They have established themselves as an authority for the most disadvantaged and, unlike state power, provide access to resources and other social benefits.
This is a model that JNIM has successfully implemented in Mali and now exports to other countries in the region. This ecological and social crisis deepens inequality. “There is less and less land and water is becoming scarce due to climate change,” explains Ulf Lässing, head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) headquarters in Mali. “Furthermore, there are high birth rates, little education opportunities and very few jobs,” adds Lässing.
This expansion between jihadists inside Sub-Saharan Africa It’s a terrible phenomenon. Even states like Chad, Central African Republic And Mozambique They seem impressed. Governments are powerless against this trend. It’s happening in Burkina Faso. Ouagadougou does not dare to stop the jihadists on the border of Benin. “Burkina Faso surrenders and gave full authority to the terrorists,” says Colonel Faizou Gomina from Benin, nodding. Actually, Benin is arming itself, the Army recruits new soldiers, buys new weapons, vehicles and builds new bases in threatened areas.
civic strategy
“But the problem cannot be solved militarily alone,” stresses the official. “we also have local civic strategy to support communities”. Authorities control access to nature reserves. Residents can gather honey and herbs and visit sacred sites. This necessary. This will prevent the Islamist JNIM militias from recruiting new members.
Mango trees shade the parade ground of the military base. parakou, the largest city in northern Benin. Already in the early morning the temperature is almost 30 degrees. About 150 young people, all men, are waiting impatiently to join the army. Benin is looking for 2,000 new recruits this year. 3,000 more are expected to attend in 2024. The increase in troops is urgent because the current Army of about 15,000 people has to control it. More than 2,000 kilometers of border with Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria. Moreover, large troops are needed to fight JNIM in the north.
“I’ve always wanted to be a soldier,” says 28-year-old Dieudonné, who wears a T-shirt with a picture of American rapper Travis Scott. “I’ve never been successful before, but now I can finally defend my homeland.” Simon is also proud to be able to wear it soon. uniform. It’s 24 years old and not far from the border in Materi, a small town in the northwest. To go and Burkina Faso. “The situation in the city is safe,” he says. But it’s very dangerous outside. “As a civilian, I face death every day,” he adds. “But now I’m a soldier, I will fight.” Public support for the military seems certain. JNIM’s indiscriminate attacks on innocent villagers are brutal and inhumane.
“I go to the forest every day to learn about terrorists,” says König Oumarou Iloutchoka of Atfakora. W national park. The clan lord is sitting wearing sunglasses in a huge chair with a picture of lions, buffaloes, leopards and an ostrich on the walls in the lobby of his home. “Then I pass the information on to the military commander because terrorists are a disgrace,” he says. About 250 kilometers further west, in a helicopter flying over the vast savannas of Pendjari National Park, military base related to Arly. Actually, it is in the Burkina Faso region. But according to Accra Initiative In 2017, Benin can tackle the “spread of terrorism” in foreign lands.
in armored vehicles
“To who ArlyOne of the first terrorist attacks took place in 2021,” explains commander Georges Kpovihin. He points to the bullet holes still in the walls of the base. “First they left their bikes in the bushes to spy on us, then a drone launched.” After hours of fighting, the Islamists lost many of their men. “Only one soldier died in the attack,” adds Colonel Kpovihin.
another access point natural reserve Pandjeri’s koala. The army just armored vehicles. JNIM entered the village many times and killed many residents. The situation has calmed down as the army maintains a military base there. However, many shops are still closed. “The terrorists had a camp just four kilometers away,” explains Colonel Kpovihin. “They are now located in Nadiagou, about 15 kilometers away.”
in the main square, women In order to collect water from the fountain built by the army, they complain in unison, “School is closed, health center nurses are gone”. Some lost their husbands and had to care for seven or eight children alone. “When the terrorists came, they said we had to disappear,” says Yara Tankouanou, 45. “The terrorists came back and killed most of those who didn’t go, including my husband. They cut off their heads,” he concludes.