At least twelve soldiers of the Nigerien Army have dead this Thursday after an attack by “hundreds of terrorists” in the Kandadji region. Of the confirmed deaths, five of them died as a result of a traffic accident while traveling to the area to assist the unit under attack. Besides, Seven other soldiers have been injured and taken to a military hospitalwhile four Army vehicles have been damaged.
Although the statement from the Ministry of Defense has not specified the number of casualties among the attackers, it has assured that the intervention of the reinforcement troops forced their withdrawal from the scene and the destruction of their vehicles and weapons. “In this difficult circumstance, we call on all military personnel to demonstrate their strength in the face of these challenges. The bravery our soldiers have shown today should inspire us to pursue our mission with determination,” the ministry added.
In recent weeks, the region of Tillabérilocated in the area of the three borders – Mali, Burkina Faso and Benin – has suffered an increase in insecurity, with indiscriminate attacks on soldiers and civilianswhich adds to a new political crisis that the country is experiencing after the coup d’état on July 26.