On 13 June 2022, the Togolese government declared a three-month state of emergency in the northern Savannah region due to a heightened risk of attacks originating from Islamist militant groups active across the border in Mali. According to the Council of Ministers, the state of emergency will “enhance the speed of decision-making and facilitate greater agility for public services and defense and security forces.” The emergency declaration follows an 11 May attack carried out by the Mali-based Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) group in the northern town of Kpekankandi — situated near the border with Burkina Faso — that left eight Togolese soldiers dead and 15 others wounded.