The Togolese parliament on Tuesday approved the six-month extension of the state of emergency in the Savanes region, located in the far north of the country, plagued by incursions by terrorist groups.
While the groups operating in the Sahel seem to be gradually moving towards the West African coast, northern Togo has suffered at least five attacks since November 2021.
Decreed in June by the Togolese head of state, the state of emergency was extended until March 2023, unanimously, by the National Assembly meeting in Kara, about 400 km north of Lomé.
“Faced with attacks against our peaceful populations, our objective (…) is to give the defense and security forces the necessary means to put an end to the threat”, underlined the Speaker of the Parliament Yawa Djigbodi Tsegan.
According to Security Minister Damehame Yark, the state of emergency will make it “possible to create (…) the conditions conducive to administrative and operational measures”, “necessary for the proper conduct of military operations” and “for a return to peace” in the region.
The Savanes region borders Burkina Faso, where terrorist groups are present.
Source : icilome.com