The Armed Forces of Côte d’Ivoire now have a unit specialized in mountain combat. The Western Security Battalion (BSO) officially gave way to the Mountain Infantry Battalion (BIM) on Friday, September 25, 2026, in Man.
The ceremony was presided over by Army General Lassina Doumbia, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. After the reading of the decree dissolving the BSO, created in 2014, a second text officially established the creation of the new battalion, according to a publication dedicated to the ceremony and reports from the Ivorian Press Agency and Koaci.
Lieutenant Colonel Siaka Dimy Sydney Martial received the unit’s insignia and became its first commanding officer. The BIM is integrated into the Army with the mission to operate in the mountainous terrain and forested areas of western Ivory Coast.
This transformation adapts the military apparatus to the characteristics of the terrain. The BSO notably carried out missions against cross-border threats, organized criminal networks, and agricultural product trafficking. The military authorities present the BIM as a more specialized capability, intended to operate in challenging environments.
The commissioning takes place after an exercise conducted from September 7 to 17 in the Man region with French alpine troops. This training sequence focused on combat and movement procedures in mountainous terrain.
