A bomb explosion near the Mali-Niger border resulted in the tragic deaths of six Nigerien soldiers, the country’s army confirmed on Thursday. The incident occurred when an army patrol vehicle struck a homemade landmine near the village of Tingara in the southwestern region, leaving several soldiers injured and requiring medical attention.
Niger, currently governed by military leaders following a July coup, has cited the deteriorating security situation as grounds for assuming power. However, despite the change in leadership, jihadist violence, which has persisted for eight years, continues unabated.
The targeted patrol, returning from Inates in the Tillaberi region, an area vulnerable to jihadist attacks, fell victim to the explosive device. Responding to the attack, the Nigerian army conducted airstrikes, resulting in the elimination of approximately ten “terrorists” believed to be responsible for the bombing.
In a separate operation, an airstrike targeted a militant group in Amalaoulaou, Mali, resulting in the deaths of at least eight fighters and the destruction of their equipment.
Last month, Niger suffered another blow when 23 soldiers lost their lives in a terrorist ambush in Tillaberi, which shares borders with Burkina Faso and Mali, both under military rule.
In addition to jihadist threats, Niger also grapples with violence perpetrated by Boko Haram jihadists and their rival group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), particularly in the southeastern region of Diffa bordering Nigeria.