In a rare official acknowledgment, Togo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Robert Dussey, disclosed the number of victims resulting from attacks by the group “Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin,” affiliated with al-Qaeda, on Togolese soil.

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In an interview with Reuters, Dussey stated that the group carried out 15 attacks in northern Togo this year. The estimated death toll includes 54 civilians and eight soldiers.

In recent years, Togo has witnessed a surge in extremist activity, with groups linked to both al-Qaeda and ISIS expanding southward from the Sahel region.

Analysts report that the spike in violence during May and June marked one of the deadliest periods in the Sahel’s recent history, underscoring the growing threat these groups pose. This escalation comes at a time when regional governments are distancing themselves from their former Western military allies.

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The roots of the violence can be traced back to 2012, when extremist factions capitalized on a Tuareg rebellion in northern Mali to establish a foothold in the region.

Since then, al-Qaeda and ISIS affiliates have seized large swaths of territory despite intensive military efforts to repel them. After spreading across Burkina Faso and Niger, they have now begun advancing into northern coastal states like Togo, resulting in thousands of deaths and millions of displaced people.

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Dussey told Reuters that approximately 8,000 Togolese soldiers are currently stationed in the north of the country, near the border with Burkina Faso—a nation analysts say is facing an uptick in attacks from “Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin.”

He emphasized the strength of Togo’s cooperation with Burkina Faso, adding that Togo serves as a bridge between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), of which it is a member, and the Sahel States Alliance, which includes Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—all currently led by military governments.

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