The country’s Ministry of Defense said that more than 200 gunmen on motorcycles attacked the Niger Army base near the border with Mali, leaving at least 34 soldiers.
The attackers – which the ministry described as “mercenaries” – raided the base in the western town of Panango on Thursday, wounding 14 other soldiers.
The ministry said that its forces had killed “dozens of terrorists” in the battle.
The Niger Army is under pressure due to its failure to curb extremist attacks, and it is one of its justifications for the Democratic -elected President Mohamed Bazoum in 2023.
The ministry said in a statement read on State TV.
He added that the forces were conducting searches in Banbango to track down the attackers.
The city, which is located near the triple border between Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, is subject to jihadist attacks by Islamic groups.
The airport, the ruling Niger Council, expelled the French and American forces, which participated strongly in the fight against jihadists.
Western African neighbors, Niger, Birkina Faso and Mali, face a rebellion from different jihadist groups operating throughout the Sahel region.
The three countries have formed an alliance to fight jihadists and link relations with the West, and they moved to Russia and Turkey instead to meet their security needs.
But violence continued.
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