A series of coordinated ambushes and explosions across military-controlled Niger has claimed the lives of at least 12 soldiers, leaving 30 others wounded, as per a report from Wednesday (18 September).
The first of these attacks occurred on Sunday (15 September) in the western Tillaberi region, a hotspot for insurgent violence. According to the military, “a horde of criminals who arrived in their hundreds” ambushed a group of soldiers, resulting in the deaths of five and injuring 25 more. In retaliation, the Nigerian army launched a combined ground and air operation, killing over 100 attackers, though the military did not provide details about the identity or affiliation of the assailants.
The violence continued on Monday (16 September) in the southwest Diffa region, an area plagued by frequent attacks from the Boko Haram group and the Islamic State’s West African Province (ISWAP). Five more soldiers were killed when their patrol was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED). The army responded with a “surgical strike,” killing several militants believed to be responsible for the attack.
The most recent assault took place on Tuesday (17 September) in the northern Agadez region. Militants from a new insurgent group, the Patriotic Movement for Freedom and Justice (MPLJ), claimed responsibility for an attack on a military outpost. In this incident, two soldiers were killed and six others wounded. The army stated that a pursuit operation had been launched to capture the fleeing attackers as they moved towards the Libyan border.
The MPLJ, which was formed in August 2023, is an offshoot of the Patriotic Liberation Front (FPL), an armed group opposed to Niger’s military junta and fighting for the release of ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. The MPLJ claims it killed 14 soldiers and two gendarmes during the Tuesday (17 September) operation, and confirmed that two of its fighters had died.
These violent events come after Bazoum, who was democratically elected, was deposed in a coup in July 2023. He has since been held captive in the presidential palace by the junta. The military, which took power citing the deteriorating security situation under Bazoum’s leadership, has been unable to stem the tide of violence that continues to plague the country.
Niger has become a focal point for jihadist activities, with militants linked to Boko Haram, ISWAP, and other extremist factions operating across its vast and often lawless regions. According to data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), roughly 1,500 soldiers and civilians have been killed in jihadist attacks over the past year, a sharp increase from the 650 deaths recorded between July 2022 and July 2023, when Bazoum was still in power.
Despite the military’s efforts to justify the coup as a necessary move to tackle insecurity, Niger remains embroiled in violence, with insurgent groups increasingly targeting both military personnel and civilians. The attacks underline the severe challenges faced by the junta in restoring stability to the country.
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