Niamey: Twelve soldiers were killed in an armed attack approximately 10 kilometers north of Saqqira, near Tillaberi, in southwest Niger, as announced by the Nigerien army. The attack targeted soldiers engaged in Operation Al-Mahaw, a mission dedicated to combating terrorism in the region.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the attack occurred on Friday near the Mali border when armed assailants, concealed within civilian camps, launched a surprise assault on the military patrol. The soldiers managed to respond to the attack before ground and air reinforcements arrived, which eventually forced the attackers to retreat toward Mali. A wide-scale pursuit operation was subsequently initiated, leading to the arrest of two suspects.
Statistics from the non-governmental organization Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) indicate that armed attacks in Niger have resulted in the deaths of at least 2,400 people across the country since July 2023.