New Delhi, Feb. 27 -- Islamic militant groups have stepped up attacks and deepened their presence in border areas of Benin, Niger and Nigeria in West Africa over the past year, a crisis monitoring group said Thursday.

From 2024 to 2025, the number of violent events involving jihadi groups in border areas of the three West African countries rose by around 80%, and deaths more than tripled to over 1,000, according to a report by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project, or ACLED.

The data show how violence in the region has entered a new phase, with Islamic militants not just expanding but also cementing their presence, said Heni Nsaibia, ACLED's senior analyst for West Africa.

"Militant groups are taking advantage of long-standi...