Niger: 10 soldiers killed, 41 militants neutralized in border attacks

A double terrorist attack near Niger’s western border with Burkina Faso left 10 soldiers dead and 15 others wounded, according to the country’s Defence Ministry. The assault, carried out by numerous suspected jihadists, targeted the towns of Bouloundjounga and Samira in the Gotheye department. Defence Minister General Salifou Modi said 41 attackers were killed during the clashes. The statement was broadcast on national television.
Niger, governed by a military junta, has been facing a decade-long insurgency by groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State. The Gotheye region, bordering Mali and Burkina Faso, has been a persistent hotspot for jihadist activity. Samira is also home to Niger’s only industrial-scale gold mine. In May, eight workers from the mine were killed by a roadside bomb.