At Least 10 Soldiers Killed in Niger Ambush

At least 10 soldiers have been killed in an ambush in western Niger, according to the country’s ruling military council.

Armed attackers targeted a military unit that had been deployed to track down cattle thieves near the border with Burkina Faso.

In a statement broadcast on Wednesday evening, Niger’s army confirmed that the unit was dispatched on Monday to arrest criminals involved in livestock theft in the village of Takizat.

During the operation, the unit was ambushed, resulting in the deaths of at least 10 soldiers. The attackers managed to escape, but security forces later apprehended 15 suspected militants on Tuesday.

The military did not specify the identity of the assailants. However, Niger, along with neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali, has been battling an insurgency for over a decade, led by armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS.

The region remains a hotspot for extremist activity, with militant attacks frequently targeting security forces and civilians.