According to the defence ministry, at least 29 soldiers from Niger were killed in an ambush near the country’s border with Mali. This attack is recognized as the deadliest since the military coup in July, which resulted in the seizure of power.
In the meantime, the Niger junta has denied accepting Algeria’s offer to mediate and resolve its ongoing political crisis. Although Algeria claimed to have received official notification of Niger’s acceptance on Monday, the junta refuted these claims.
Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, all of which are under military governments established through coups, are contending with militants linked to al Qaeda and the Islamic State. These groups have caused numerous fatalities and displaced over two million people in the Sahel region. Last month, the three countries agreed to a security pact, pledging to defend each other against rebel forces and aggressors.
The attack in Niger occurred as soldiers were returning from their operations against militants. Over 100 assailants in vehicles and on motorbikes launched the assault, employing explosive devices and suicide bombers. “The provisional toll of the attack is as follows, 29 soldiers fell in battle and two were wounded,” announced the defence ministry in a statement aired on Niger national television. The statement did not specify the responsible group or the exact timing of the ambush, but it revealed that the military operation transpired between September 26 and October 2.
To commemorate the fallen soldiers, three days of national mourning have been declared.
The recent wave of coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger since 2020 has been partly motivated by frustrations among the military and citizens due to the prevailing insecurity. However, the violence has escalated precisely as the juntas remove foreign troops, who had previously assisted in the fight against the militants. Moreover, United Nations peacekeepers are also departing.
Militants, many affiliated with the Islamic State, have been particularly active along the Mali-Niger border since the withdrawal of French and U.N. forces from southeast Mali, which ended crucial air reconnaissance support.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Western powers have urged Niger to promptly reinstate constitutional rule. Nonetheless, the junta has been procrastinating in this regard.
On Monday, the junta expressed surprise at Algeria’s claim that Niger had accepted its offer to mediate and rejected its conclusions.
(Reporting by Abdel-Kader Mazou; Writing by Bate Felix and Sofia Christensen; Editing by Deborah Kyvrikosaios and Angus MacSwan)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
