At least 38 Nigerien soldiers were killed in two separate attacks by suspected Islamic State fighters on military positions in Niger, raising fresh concerns over the growing threat posed by extremist groups across the country.
The development was reported by security analyst Zagazola Makama.
According to the report, the latest attack occurred on Friday, July 30, when suspected Islamic State fighters launched a coordinated assault on a military position at Dankassari, located between Doutchi and Yaya in the Dosso Region.
Makama reported that the attackers overran the forward operating base of the Nigerien Defence and Security Forces (FDS) after intense fighting.
Detailing the casualty count from the first assault, Makama stated:
“The consolidated casualty figure stood at 21 soldiers killed. The number of wounded or missing personnel was not immediately available.”
The report stated that the attack came hours after another deadly assault on the town of N’Guigmi in the Diffa Region, where 17 members of the Nigerien Defence and Security Forces, including an officer, were killed in a separate attack also blamed on suspected Islamic State fighters.
The two incidents pushed the total death toll among Nigerien security personnel on July 31 alone to 38.
Makama noted that the attacks underscore the persistent security challenges confronting Niger despite ongoing military operations targeting extremist groups operating in the Tillabéri, Dosso, Diffa, and Tahoua regions.
The report also cited data compiled by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) project, showing that at least 5,828 people, including more than 2,000 members of the country’s Defence and Security Forces, have been killed in terrorism-related violence since the military takeover on July 26, 2023.