A devastating attack by suspected jihadists in western Niger resulted in the loss of no less than twenty-nine soldiers, as announced by the defense ministry on Monday night. In response to this tragedy, a three-day national mourning period has been declared.
The assailants targeted the soldiers using “improvised explosive devices and kamikaze vehicles, employing more than a hundred terrorists,” as stated in a televised announcement by the ministry. Additionally, two soldiers sustained serious injuries, and “several dozen terrorists” were reported to have been killed during the incident.
This assault occurred near the border of Niger with Mali while the military was conducting operations to “neutralize the threat posed by the Islamic State” in the region, according to the ministry.
The ministry further noted, “Communications from the terrorists, who were forced to withdraw, have been intercepted.” It was also mentioned that the attackers had received external support, although specific details were not provided.
For over a decade, a jihadist insurgency has afflicted the Sahel region of Africa. It began in northern Mali in 2012 and subsequently spread to Niger and Burkina Faso in 2015. The “three borders” area shared by Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso frequently witnesses attacks by militants affiliated with the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda.
This persistent violence has contributed to military takeovers in all three countries, with Niger being the most recent to experience a coup on July 26, resulting in the ousting of the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum. In August, there was another attack by suspected jihadists near the Niger-Burkina Faso border, resulting in the deaths of at least 17 Nigerien soldiers and the injury of 20 more.
[AFP]
