Al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) says it has taken full control of a Nigerien military position in the village of Asamaka in Agadez region, intensifying concerns the group and al-Qaeda could expand their footprint in a country already battered by years of insurgent violence.
JNIM did not give casualty figures from the assault, saying only that its fighters overran the site. Local media reported the Nigerien military responded with rapid airstrikes; dozens of civilians were reportedly killed.
“This is a serious, if unsurprising, development,” said Amro Diallo, a military analyst focused on Africa. “JNIM has grown bolder, disrupting fuel supplies and striking critical military and civilian infrastructure across Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.” He said the episode should prompt Niger’s rulers to reassess security strategy, arguing current measures have failed to deliver the stability previously promised.
Niger recently stood up local militias, echoing Burkina Faso’s model, but Diallo said those forces have yet to show results. He urged Niamey to consider renewed coordination with regional and international partners on counterterrorism.
The attack comes amid overlapping threats from JNIM, Islamic State in the Greater Sahara and Boko Haram. Authorities in Niamey did not immediately comment on JNIM’s claim.
Separately, Niger’s army launched heavy strikes near the Malian border area of Ingar while pursuing a suspected JNIM unit, with local reports again citing scores of civilian deaths.
“The army has suffered a major setback,” said political analyst Mohamed Idris. “Seizing this post hands the militants weapons and equipment—and possibly prisoners—and marks a turning point.” He urged a swift counter-offensive to retake the position and prevent further military or civilian sites from falling, warning that entire towns in Niger could be at risk if momentum shifts to the insurgents.