A group of “armed terror!sts” ambushed soldiers in southwest Niger near the Mali border, killing at least ten of them.
The death toll from Friday’s incident is predicted to climb, according to government authorities, because 16 people are still unaccounted for and other individuals were injured.
The military came under attack from rebels referred to as a jihadist group when they were on patrol in the north of the Banibangou province.
Armed groups attacked a camp sheltering Mali refugees last week in the Tahoua area. In the attack, nine individuals died.
Over 61,000 Malian refugees are currently finding sanctuary in Tahoua and Tillaberi, according to the UN.
With 250 soldiers in a “combat partnership,” France is assisting Niger in its Almahaou operation to protect the border with Mali.
Niger is an additional option for the redeployment of French special forces that have been expelled by the ruling junta from neighboring Burkina.
Following the evacuation of French forces from Mali last year and the upcoming removal of French forces from Burkina Faso, there will only be 3,000 French troops stationed in the Sahel region, which includes Niger and Chad and is home to terrorist organizations.