An armed groups attacked a squad of Niger Republic soldiers and killed at least 12 of them close to the Mali border, the country’s ministry of defence has said
“A detachment of the Nigerien Armed Forces moving between Boni and Torodi was the victim of a terrorist ambush near the town of Koutougou 52km southwest of Torodi,” a statement from the ministry said.
The capital, Niamey, was informed that 20 more soldiers had been hurt and were all being evacuated.
The army said that more than 100 attackers were “neutralised” during their retreat.
Read also: Terrorists claim responsibility for NAF helicopter crash in Niger
The cancellation of agreements with the French military and the suspension of aid by Niamey’s other allies, according to Ahmed Idris, an Al Jazeera’s reporter, “make life more difficult.”
“It will now be difficult for Niger to source for equipment, for weaponry, and deal with the rising cases of attacks by these armed groups in the Sahel… it may have to rely on countries like Mali and Burkina Faso for expertise and also from the mercenary groups that have been operating in these two countries,” he reported on Wednesday.
But what extent do they have? Which will take how long? They also have the same issue, Idris said.
