At least 57 members of Niger's security forces were killed in two IS-Sahel attacks, the Defence Ministry said. Thirty-eight soldiers died at the Dabagu base in Tahoua, near the Malian border, and 19 gendarmes were killed in Abala-Filingué. Several soldiers remain missing. The ruling junta, in power since a 2023 coup, has struggled to contain the jihadist insurgency and faced a quashed mutiny in August.
57 Security Personnel Killed in IS-Sahel Attacks in Niger — Junta Faces Growing Pressure
FILE PHOTO - Brigadier General Abdourahamane Tiani, interim president in Niger, takes part in the first summit of the heads of state of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). (Best possible quality) (is associated with: «At least 57 security personnel killed in IS attacks in Niger») Djibo Issifou/dpa
At least 57 members of Niger's security forces were killed on Wednesday in two separate attacks claimed to be carried out by a Sahel branch of the Islamic State, the Nigerien Ministry of Defence said on Thursday.
The Attacks
The ministry reported that 38 soldiers were killed in an assault on the Dabagu base in the Tahoua region. Dabagu lies roughly 450 kilometres from the capital, Niamey, and is close to the Malian border. Several soldiers are still unaccounted for following the attack.
In a separate incident the same day, 19 gendarmes were killed in Abala-Filingué, about 250 kilometres from Niamey. Local authorities continue to investigate both incidents.
Wider Context
Since seizing power in a coup in 2023, Niger's ruling military junta has struggled to contain a long-running jihadist insurgency that has destabilised large parts of the country and the wider Sahel region. Heavy battlefield losses have reportedly fuelled discontent within elements of the armed forces.
That discontent contributed to an attempted mutiny in August, which the junta said it suppressed after several hours. Analysts warn that sustained militant pressure and internal frustrations could further strain the country’s fragile security situation.
Casualty tally: 57 security personnel killed — 38 soldiers at Dabagu, 19 gendarmes at Abala-Filingué; several soldiers remain missing.
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