At least 46 soldiers of Niger’s defense and security forces were killed in a militant attack over the weekend, reportedly carried out by fighters of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS).
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency platform covering the Lake Chad region, the attack targeted a military base in Iknewane, Tilia department, near Niger’s border with Mali.
The publication described the assault as a well-coordinated and intense operation that took the military by surprise.
The heavily armed militants, outnumbering the stationed troops, overran the base, destroying nine out of 16 military vehicles.
The attackers also looted weapons and ammunition, abducted a dozen soldiers, and left several others unaccounted for.
In response, Niger’s military has deployed a convoy of about 20 vehicles, including personnel from the Niger Armed Forces (FAN) and the National Guard (GNN), to the area to reclaim control and track down the assailants.
This is not the first such attack on the Iknewane base.
On September 18, 2024, EIGS militants launched a similar assault, killing at least 24 soldiers.
The Tahoua region, especially its border areas with Mali, has become a hotspot for militant violence, with the Nigerien government struggling to curb frequent attacks on both military and civilian targets.
The attack comes amid rising insecurity in the region.
Just over a week ago, Boko Haram and ISWAP militants killed at least 22 Nigerian soldiers, including a commander and two senior officers, in a confrontation near the Lake Chad border.
However, the Nigerian military retaliated, eliminating 70 terrorists in the encounter.
