The Beninese government has confirmed the killing of dozens in coordinated attacks by armed groups in the northern region of the country.
The La Nouvelle Tribune reported that government spokesperson Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji expressed condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers.
He noted in a statement in Wednesday that the death toll for the ranks of the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) during the attacks was not in the hundreds, contrary to information shared on social media. He said 54 soldiers were killed.
The attacks, on April 17, targeted army positions at the tripoint area between Benin, Niger and Burkina Faso, and at the Koudou Falls.