A deadly ambush by a group of criminals has claimed the lives of at least 10 Nigerien soldiers near the border with Burkina Faso, according to the country’s military junta.
On Monday, a special intervention unit was deployed to the village of Takzat, located in western Niger, to address cattle theft in the area. The military was conducting the operation when the ambush took place.
The junta’s statement, broadcast on Wednesday night, revealed that the attack resulted in the tragic loss of 10 soldiers. However, the perpetrators behind the attack were not identified.
Despite the setback, the military responded swiftly, neutralizing 15 “terrorists” on Tuesday in the same region. The identity of these individuals remains unclear.
Niger, alongside its neighbors Burkina Faso and Mali, has faced an ongoing insurgency from insurgent groups over the past decade. Some of these groups have ties to al-Qaida and the Islamic State.
The security situation in the Sahel region has dramatically deteriorated, particularly after military coups in all three nations. Following the coups, the juntas expelled French forces and instead sought assistance from Russian mercenaries.
These developments have raised concerns as attacks and civilian casualties have soared. A record number of assaults and deaths have been reported in recent months, attributed to both militants and government forces.
