Tragic Ambush: Islamist Militants Kill Seven Soldiers in Benin's Pendjari National Park

Seven soldiers were killed by suspected Islamist militants in an ambush at Pendjari National Park in northern Benin. The attack, involving cross-border insurgents linked to al Qaeda and ISIS, highlights the region's vulnerability. The Benin army has not yet officially commented on the incident.

Seven soldiers were killed by attackers suspected of being Islamist militants in northern Benin's Pendjari National Park, two security sources and two diplomatic sources said on Wednesday. The Beninois soldiers were killed in an ambush, said the sources, two of whom said it took place near the town of Tanguieta.

Benin's northern neighbours are insurgency-plagued Burkina Faso and Niger, making it vulnerable to cross-border attacks by groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State. In April, unidentified gunmen attacked a border crossing with Niger, killing three people and wounding one, a local mayor said.

Benin's army has not officially communicated on Tuesday's incident and its spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.