In a brutal wave of violence, jihadist militants killed 13 Nigerien soldiers in two separate attacks, the country’s army confirmed on Wednesday.
The first assault took place on March 15 at a gold mining site in the western Tillaberi region, where nine soldiers lost their lives in a clash with Islamic State-linked fighters. According to military sources, around 100 militants stormed the area on motorcycles from across the Burkina Faso border. In response, Niger and Burkina Faso launched a joint air and ground offensive, eliminating 55 jihadists. Seven Nigerien soldiers were wounded in the firefight.
Just two days later, Boko Haram militants struck a military outpost in another part of the country. An estimated 300 fighters launched an aggressive attack using explosive-laden vehicles, killing four soldiers in the process.
Niger, currently under military rule following a July 2023 coup, is struggling to restore stability amid growing militant activity and economic hardships triggered by international sanctions. Alongside its junta-led neighbors, Mali and Burkina Faso, the country is working on deploying a 5,000-strong joint force to combat jihadist insurgencies, organized crime, and human trafficking networks in the Sahel region.
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