Scores dead as Nigerien soldiers clash with Boko Haram terrorists at border
In southeastern Niger, a recent clash with Boko Haram militants has resulted in 10 soldiers wounded and numerous insurgents killed. The confrontation occurred when Boko Haram fighters attacked a special intervention battalion stationed at N’Guigmi airport in the Diffa region, near the Nigeria border.
The clash lasted about 20 minutes before the militants were driven towards the banks of Lake Chad. With air support, security forces located the attackers as they attempted to escape in canoes on the lake. Several dozen terrorists were neutralized through surgical airstrikes.
Lake Chad, spanning Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad, has witnessed frequent attacks by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). This recent clash marks a significant escalation after months of relative calm in the region, which has been a target for jihadist attacks since 2015.
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The area also faces challenges with internally displaced persons and Nigerian refugees relying on humanitarian aid, compounded by food shortages due to drought-affected harvests.
Niger, governed by military leaders since a July 26 coup, confronts not only economic challenges as one of the world’s poorest nations but also a deadly jihadist insurgency in the west, near the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso.
