Bomb Kills Six Niger Soldiers Prompting Air Strikes

A bomb explosion resulted in the deaths of six Nigerien soldiers, as confirmed by the Nigerien army this Thursday.

Naija News reports that the explosion, which occurred earlier this week, was caused by a homemade landmine near the village of Tingara, according to a statement from Niger’s defence ministry.

The affected soldiers were part of an army patrol that encountered the landmine while returning from Inates, located in the western region of Tillaberi.

This area is known for its vulnerability to jihadist attacks, underscoring the persistent security challenges faced by Niger.

The ministry also reported that several soldiers sustained injuries in the blast and have been receiving medical treatment.

Niger has been under military governance since a coup in July, with the junta citing the country’s deteriorating security situation as a key reason for their takeover.

Despite this change in leadership, Niger continues to battle ongoing jihadist violence that has plagued the country for over eight years.

Following the incident, the Nigerien military conducted air strikes targeting those believed to be responsible for the attack.

According to the defense ministry’s bulletin, these strikes successfully “neutralized” about ten “terrorists” in retaliation.

Additionally, another air strike was executed against a group of militants in Amalaoulaou, Mali, resulting in at least eight combatant casualties and the destruction of their equipment.

This recent attack adds to the mounting security challenges facing Niger, a country already grappling with threats from Boko Haram jihadists and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in its southeastern region of Diffa, which is adjacent to Nigeria.