At least 34 Nigerien soldiers were killed and 14 wounded in a major attack on a military base near the Malian border, the Defence Ministry said Friday.
According to a statement broadcast on state television, several hundred armed men—many riding motorbikes and supported by eight vehicles—stormed the base in Bani-Bangou on Thursday. The attackers were described as “mercenaries,” but the ministry did not name a specific group.
Niger, like other Sahel nations, continues to face repeated assaults by Islamist militants affiliated with al Qaeda and Islamic State.
Following the attack, troops launched ground and air operations to secure the area, though further details were not provided.