Suspected Jihadists Launch Double Attack in Niger, killing 10 Soldiers and Claiming 41 Mercenaries

A coordinated attack by suspected jihadists near Niger’s western border with Burkina Faso resulted in the deaths of 10 soldiers and the elimination of 41 attackers, authorities announced Friday.

Niger, now governed by a military junta, has faced ongoing violence from groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic Jihad for over a decade. Defense Minister General Salifou Modi confirmed that the assaults occurred in the towns of Bouloundjounga and Samira in the Gotheye department, which borders Mali and Burkina Faso.

During a televised statement, General Modi reported that “several hundred mercenaries” carried out the attacks simultaneously. He said, “Ten soldiers were killed and 15 wounded,” and added that “41 mercenaries were neutralized” in the firefight.

Gotheye has long been a hotspot for jihadist activity, with the village of Samira housing Niger’s only large-scale gold mining operation. In May, eight workers from the mine were killed when their vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb, highlighting the ongoing security challenges in the region.