No fewer than 23 soldiers have been killed in a “terrorist” ambush in western Niger Republic, Channels Television and news agencies are reporting.
The TV station said the attack occurred during an offensive near the border with Burkina Faso and Mali, quoting the defence ministry.
According to the report, the soldiers were engaged in a security sweep in Tillaberi, in the three borders area, on Tuesday and Wednesday, and were killed during a “complex ambush” by the assailants who used “homemade bombs and suicide vehicles”.
The defence ministry said “about 30 terrorists had been neutralised”.
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The ministry also said the army raids were “designed to reassure local people” who were being targeted by armed groups engaged in “murders, extortion and cattle rustling”.
Some 17 soldiers were also reported wounded.
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