At least 265 members of Niger’s Defence and Security Forces, including senior officers, have reportedly been killed in a series of coordinated attacks across the country.
Security sources said the attacks occurred between June 17 and June 19 and targeted several military positions in different parts of Niger.
One of the deadliest incidents reportedly occurred in Inates, where 101 soldiers were said to have been killed in an attack attributed to fighters of the Islamic State in the Sahel.
According to the sources, 52 of the soldiers killed in the Inates attack had been buried in the Tillabéri Region.
They added that 49 other soldiers initially declared missing had subsequently been presumed dead.
The sources further disclosed that 20 soldiers were taken captive during the attack, Zagagola Makama reports.
The attacks were said to be part of a broader wave of violence targeting security formations across Niger.
According to the sources, 107 soldiers were killed in Banibangou, while 24 others lost their lives in an attack in the capital, Niamey.
Another 33 security personnel were reportedly killed when a military position in Madama, northern Niger, came under attack.
The cumulative death toll from the four incidents stands at 265 security personnel, making it one of the deadliest periods for Niger’s armed forces in recent years.
As of the time of filing this report, Nigerien authorities had not issued an official statement confirming the casualty figures reported by security sources.
Niger has witnessed repeated attacks on military formations and border communities in recent years, particularly in areas close to Mali, Burkina Faso and Nigeria.
