KIGALI, Rwanda—Twenty Nigerien soldiers and one civilian were killed on Tuesday in an attack by “a coalition of terrorist groups” in western Niger, according to a government statement.
The attack occurred around 10 a.m. local time when a Defense and Security Forces detachment was ambushed on the outskirts of the village of Tassia in the Tillaberi region, a volatile area near the borders of Burkina Faso and Mali, which frequently faces attacks attributed to an affiliate of the Daesh/ISIS terror group.
In addition to the fatalities, at least nine soldiers were wounded, the Defense Ministry reported. The military responded by launching an operation that resulted in dozens of terrorists being neutralized and their means of transport destroyed.
In response to the attack, the military government has declared three days of national mourning starting Wednesday, with flags to be flown at half-mast.
Lt. Gen. Salifou Mody, the Minister of State for National Defense, expressed his condolences and reassured the public of the defense and security forces’ commitment to “continue the fight for sovereignty.”
Niger has been under military rule since a junta ousted democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum in July last year, citing deteriorating security conditions. Earlier this year, the junta canceled a 2012 defense cooperation agreement with the United States.–News Desk