NIAMEY, July 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Eighteen soldiers were killed when
“terrorists” struck an army camp in western Niger, the government said.
In a statement, the defence ministry said US and France air support were called to help repel the assault.
The attack took place on Monday afternoon at a camp at Inates on the
border with Mali, the ministry said, adding that four soldiers were listed as missing.
The attack began with the detonation of two car bombs, officials said, before gunmen on motorbikes joined the raid.
A lorry was destroyed by the air strikes and several “terrorists neutralised”, the statement added.
Niger lies in the heart of the fragile Sahel region, which is battling insurgencies. Militants killed 28 Nigerien soldiers in a similar raid in May.
Niger and other countries in the Sahel region of Africa have been facing a growing threat from militants including the Daesh group and affiliates of al-Qaeda.
The groups are most active in Mali but often stage cross-border raids.
Niger is part of a five nation anti-insurgency force operating in the Sahel that includes Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Mauritania.
Despite deployments of French, US and UN forces, the region – including Niger – remains restive.
Niger is due to host the African Union summit at the end of the week. — NNN-AGENCIES
