Niger’s defence ministry reported on Tuesday that at least 15 soldiers were killed on Monday in a skirmish near the border with Burkina Faso. The soldiers were engaged in combat with armed terrorist groups along the Bankilare-Tera route near the village of Foneko.
The ministry’s communique, read on state television, indicated a preliminary toll of 15 dead. Additionally, three soldiers are missing, and 16 were injured and hospitalized. During the clashes, 21 “terrorists” were also killed in the western Tillaberi region.
Reinforcements from Tera intervened promptly, forcing the armed groups to retreat northward. The attack coincides with the one-year anniversary of a military coup, which the army justified by citing deteriorating security conditions.
Despite efforts to deploy more troops and plans to significantly increase military numbers by 2030, attacks from groups affiliated with Islamic State and Al-Qaeda persist, especially in the Tillaberi region. Recent weeks have seen bloody clashes resulting in numerous casualties on both sides. The impact on civilians remains significant, though exact tolls are unclear due to limited independent data.
