Togo: Attack leaves at least eight dead in Kpendjal Prefecture, Savanes Region May 9-10

Event

Dozens of unidentified assailants attacked a security post along Togo's border with Burkina Faso in the Koundjouare area, Kpendjal Prefecture, Savanes Region, overnight May 9-10. The attack reportedly left at least eight soldiers dead and several others injured, while an unspecified number of assailants have also been killed. Officials confirmed the incident without providing further details. Additional security forces have been deployed in the area.

Authorities will likely maintain an elevated security posture in the area over the coming days and weeks. Officials could implement restrictive movement measures. Further similar attacks remain possible in the near term.

Context

A similar attack against a security post occurred in the village of Sanloaga in Kpendjal in Nov. 2021, while armed men also invaded a village in Kpendjal on Feb. 24, ordering residents to leave the area. In addition, an uptick in attacks, mainly targeting security forces, on the northern borders of Cote d'Ivoire in 2021 and Benin in 2022 highlights the threat, while the US Embassy in Ghana issued a security alert March 9 warning its citizens of the threat of kidnapping for ransom in the northern Upper East and Upper West regions.

Togo has largely avoided spillover of militant activity from neighboring Burkina Faso in recent years. However, as groups aligned with Al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS) continue to make gains in Burkina Faso and elsewhere, further militant encroachment southward into coastal West Africa, including Togo, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, and Ghana, remains possible.

Advice

Liaise with trusted contacts before traveling in northern Togo. Confirm the status of routes before travel and avoid travel at night. Maintain contact with your diplomatic representation.