Niger Republic has reported that 23 of its soldiers were killed in a “terrorist” ambush near the borders with Burkina Faso and Mali in a western region that is often targeted by jihadist attacks.
Niger is currently under the control of military leaders who took power in a coup in July, claiming that the deteriorating security situation justified their actions.
Despite this, the jihadist violence that has been ongoing for eight years has not stopped.
In the most recent incident, Nigerien soldiers were conducting a security operation in Tillaberi, located in the three borders area, on Tuesday and Wednesday, as announced by the defence ministry on Thursday.
They were killed during a “complex ambush”, it said, adding that “about 30 terrorists had been neutralised”.
The army raids were “designed to reassure local people” who were being targeted by armed groups engaged in “murders, extortion and cattle rustling”, the ministry said.
Over 100 “terrorists” launched an attack on the army unit located between Teguey and Bankilare using homemade bombs and suicide vehicles.
23 soldiers lost their lives and 17 others were injured.
