Link to article:https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/benin-army-vehicle-strikes-land-mine-security-fears-north-grow-2022-01-06/
A Benin army vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED). It is reported that two soldiers were killed due to an increased violence from Islamic terrorist groups in Africa. The explosion happened near a hotel that had been closed since 2019. Benin is one of the most vulnerable countries in Africa vulnerable to these Islamic attacks. Although Benin is one of the most vulnerable, this was one of the first few attacks since 2019. More and more attacks have been carried out in the last month. Benin is not the only country that has been impacted by these islamic terrorist groups.
My first reaction to reading these types of articles is why. Why do these islamic terrorists groups feel the need to carry out these kinds of attaks, but then I think it is the only way that they are going to be able to express power. There have been many attacks by islamic groups in the region since 2017 so it has a very long lasting impact of violence in the region. It is terrible that we live in a world where countries and groups have to feel the need to act in such violence that they kill innocent people for years on end.
This is related to what we talked about in class because it falls under islamic groups trying to gain hegemony and power. These islamic groups want to be the top predator in the food chain and they feel the only way to do this is to carry out attacks like this. Countries in Africa are forming alliances with each other to slow and stop these attacks but I just do not see it stopping.