Niger Army Kills 34 Terrorists in Dosso and Tillabéry Operations

Niger’s Defence and Security Forces (FDS) have announced the killing of at least 34 terrorists during two separate operations conducted on September 17 and 19 in the country’s western regions of Dosso and Tillabéry.

According to the army’s weekly bulletin, broadcast on national television Saturday evening, the first confrontation occurred on September 17 near Doubalma, Dosso region, when a patrol departing from Soukoukoutane was ambushed by about 50 armed men on motorcycles.

The FDS, with support from military aircraft, repelled the attack, neutralising at least 22 assailants and injuring several others. Survivors reportedly fled toward the Malian border. However, the clash left seven soldiers dead and two wounded, the bulletin stated.

A second operation conducted on September 19 in the Tillabéry region targeted armed groups operating along the border area. The army reported that 12 additional terrorists were killed during the offensive, though no casualties were recorded on the side of the security forces.

The government praised the “courage and determination” of its troops while reaffirming its commitment to ongoing counterterrorism efforts in border regions that have long been plagued by jihadist violence linked to groups allied with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

The western regions of Niger, particularly Tillabéry, remain volatile as they straddle porous frontiers with Mali and Burkina Faso, where extremist groups frequently launch cross-border raids. Recall that the Nigerien army earlier announced that more than 100 terrorists were “neutralised” in a military operation near Makalondi in the Tillabéry region, on Sunday, September 15.

The operation, involving both land and air forces, was carried out after an attack on a Defence and Security Forces (FDS) unit in the area, as contained in the Nigerien army’s information bulletin.

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