seven soldiers killed in attack by suspected jihadists

Seven soldiers were killed Thursday, September 28 in western Niger during an attack by suspected jihadists, announced Defense Minister and General Salifou Mody, appointed by the military regime resulting from a coup d’état. Five others died in a traffic accident during a response to the attack.

Thursday, in the Tillabéri region, “a unit of Operation Almahaou [antijihadiste] on a security mission in Kandadji was violently attacked by several hundred terrorists”specifies the minister’s press release, which mentions seven dead soldiers “in combat” And “a tragic traffic accident” afterwards. According to the document, seven people were also injured and taken to hospital.

A country undermined by jihadist violence

The motorcycles and the weapons of the attackers “were destroyed in the Tijiane area”, 20 km northeast of Ayorou, in the same region, says the minister, adding that“a search operation is currently underway to track down the enemy”.

The ruling generals overthrew elected President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, justifying their action by “deterioration of the security situation” in the country. The south-east of Niger is facing jihadist violence from Boko Haram and its dissident branch Iswap (Islamic State in West Africa). In the west, where the Tillabéri region is located, the country is undermined by the same type of violence in the so-called “three borders” zone between Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali.