Thirteen Nigerien soldiers were killed in two separate clashes with insurgent groups, the army announced on Wednesday.
The first attack occurred at a gold mining site in the western Tillaberi region, where “nine soldiers fell in combat” against IS-affiliated militants, according to an army bulletin.
The March 15 assault involved reinforcements crossing from Burkina Faso on approximately 100 motorcycles, the statement added. In response, Nigerien and Burkinabe forces launched a joint air and ground operation, killing 55 militants. Seven Nigerien soldiers were also wounded in the confrontation.
Two days later, on the opposite side of the country, a military outpost was attacked by around 300 Boko Haram fighters. The attackers used booby-trapped vehicles and explosives, killing four Nigerien soldiers, the army said.
Niger is ruled by a military junta that seized power in a July 2023 coup, promising to restore security and stabilise the economy. However, militant violence remains a significant threat, exacerbated by democratic backsliding, restrictions on civil liberties, and economic turmoil due to international sanctions, according to the conflict-monitoring group ACLED.
Alongside its junta-led allies Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger is working to establish a joint 5,000-strong force to combat insurgencies, organised crime, and human trafficking in the region.
