Africa-Press. The opposition in Togo has expressed concern regarding the alleged presence of “foreign forces” in the northern part of the country, specifically mentioning Russian mercenaries from the paramilitary group “Africa Corps” and Turkish forces from the private military company “SADAT.”
Since late 2021, the far north of the country has been suffering from repeated incursions by armed groups, which have been undermining the neighboring Sahel region for a decade and are gradually expanding towards coastal countries like Togo.
A joint press release issued by three coalitions of opposition political parties and civil society organizations stated, “International media (…) particularly reveal the presence of foreign forces on the ground.” This is the case with the Turkish forces, which partly include troops from the private military company “SADAT,” also based in Turkey, and special forces from the “Africa Legion.”
The statement emphasized the complete silence in Lome, Ankara, and Moscow regarding the number of troops and their missions; however, international media indicate the presence of about 350 Russian individuals.
These political parties and civil society organizations expressed their “concern regarding the lack of transparency surrounding these strategic decisions and the potential violations that may arise,” as well as the “risk of atrocities” against local populations, citing precedents in other operational areas in Africa.
These coalitions called for an “immediate public discussion regarding the presence of any foreign military or paramilitary forces in Togo” and demanded “that no foreign forces participate in operations involving surveillance, intimidation, arrest, or repression of the population.”
No official source has confirmed the alleged presence of these foreign forces in the northern part of the country; however, Lome signed a framework military cooperation agreement with Turkey in 2021. Togo also signed a military cooperation agreement with Russia in 2025, allowing Moscow to deploy trainers, military ships, and aircraft.
In recent years, Togo has become fertile ground for Moscow’s expansion, as it seeks to establish a foothold in the Gulf of Guinea, similar to the Sahel region where its troops from the Africa Legion, directly controlled by the Russian Ministry of Defense, are deployed.
In response to incursions by armed groups, Togo declared a state of emergency in the Savanes region (northern part of the country) in June 2022, which was extended for another 12 months in February. About 8,000 Togolese soldiers are deployed there as part of Operation “Kondjoari,” which began in 2018.
