The government in Benin has introduced two new military medals, as the army battles a growing threat from Islamist groups.
It said one of the medals – the Combatant’s Cross – was for soldiers killed or wounded in combat.
Benin had not previously faced an external security threat, but over the last three years there have been several incursions from Burkina Faso, where the violence has displaced nearly two million people.
Earlier this year the military in Benin launched a recruitment drive for 5,000 additional troops to help reinforce the border.