Eleven Nigerien soldiers were killed in an ambush near the Algerian border, claimed by Al-Qaeda-linked insurgents, local sources and media reported Saturday.
The attack, which occurred in the Ekade Malane area on Friday, was claimed by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM).
Air Info news website reported the ambush, stating the soldiers were buried Saturday in the presence of high-ranking military officials.
State radio confirmed the attack and death toll, but referred to the assailants as “bandits.”
While Nigerien forces stationed near Algeria face occasional attacks, these are typically attributed to illicit traffickers, rather than insurgents who are more active along the Mali and Burkina Faso borders.
However, Niger’s vast desert north remains a known corridor for trafficking and a transit point for migrants.
Niger, under military junta rule since July 2023, has pledged to address the country’s security challenges. Despite this, unrest continues.
According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), at least 2,400 people have been killed in attacks since the coup.
Niger, alongside neighboring junta-led Mali and Burkina Faso, is establishing a joint 5,000-strong force to combat regional unrest.