In Togo, since its creation in 1963, the Togolese military has had a history of involvement in the country’s politics with assassinations, coups, influence, and a crackdown in 2005 that killed hundreds of civilians; over the past decade, however, it has made some efforts to reform and professionalize, including increasing its role in UN peacekeeping activities, participating in multinational exercises, and receiving training from foreign partners, including France and the US; in addition, Togo has established a regional peacekeeping training center for military and police in Lome

the FAT’s primary concerns are terrorism and maritime security; in recent years, it has increased operations in the northern border region of the country to boost border security and prevent terrorist infiltrations from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), a coalition of al-Qa'ida-affiliated militant groups based in Mali that also operates in neighboring Burkina Faso; in 2022, the Togolese Government declared a state of emergency in the north due to the threat from JNIM following an attack on a Togolese military post that killed several soldiers; northern Togo has also had problems with banditry, as well as arms, drugs, fuel, and gold smuggling, which has aggravated local disputes and provided terrorist groups with financial resources; the Navy and Air Force have increased focus on combating piracy and smuggling in the Gulf of Guinea (2024)