Twelve Nigerien soldiers were killed in a sudden attack near the country’s western border with Mali and Burkina Faso, the army announced.
The assault unfolded Friday about ten kilometers north of Sakoira village, a flashpoint in the Sahel’s grinding conflict.
Gunmen launched a “surprise offensive” against a military unit on patrol, according to a statement released by the army and seen by Reuters.
Authorities detained two suspects at the scene, though they did not identify the group responsible for the attack.
Last month, Niger blamed Islamic State’s Sahel affiliate, EIGS, for a deadly mosque assault that killed at least 44 civilians nearby.
The region’s insurgency, born from a Tuareg rebellion in Mali in 2012, has since bled across West Africa, consuming villages and displacing millions.
Violence and insecurity have fueled a series of military coups across the Sahel, toppling governments in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
Since the coups, military rulers have severed ties with Western allies like France and the U.S., seeking new partnerships with Russia.
Despite mounting international pressure, the three nations remain under military control, deepening fears of prolonged instability in the region.
