By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
At least 10 Niger soldiers and dozens of attackers have been killed in two coordinated assaults near the country’s western border with Burkina Faso. The incidents, which took place in the Gotheye region, were attributed to “several hundred mercenaries” by the government. Niger has long been combating insurgent groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Daesh, with violence escalating in recent years.
The attacks occurred in Bouloundjounga and Samira, two areas already known for persistent terrorist activity. Defense Minister General Salifou Modi confirmed the deaths of 10 soldiers and the injury of 15 others. Meanwhile, 41 attackers were reported neutralized by the military.
The Gotheye department, located near the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso, has been a frequent target for militant groups. Notably, Samira hosts Niger’s sole large-scale gold mining operation, which was targeted earlier this year when eight workers were killed in a roadside bombing in May.
This latest round of violence highlights the ongoing instability in the region, where local forces continue to battle an insurgent threat that has plagued the Sahel fo over a decade.
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