At least 46 soldiers of the Nigerien Defense and Security Forces, SDF, were said to have been killed in a coordinated attack by militants of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, EIGS, on Saturday.

 

The assault targeted an SDF position in Iknewane, Tilia Department, near the Mali border in Niger’s Tahoua Region with security sources described the attack as large-scale and highly intense, catching the military by surprise.

 

According to a report by Zagazola Makama, security analyst and counterinsurgency expert, the attackers, heavily armed and in large numbers, overran the base, destroying nine out of the 16 military vehicles stationed there. Weapons and ammunition were also said to have been looted.

 

In response, a military convoy of about 20 vehicles from the Niger Armed Forces, FAN and another from the National Guard (GNN) have been deployed from Tahoua to conduct operations in the area.

 

This is not the first attack on the Iknewane position as on September 18, 2024, EIGS militants carried out a similar assault, killing at least 24 soldiers, according to official reports.

 

The Tahoua Region, particularly areas bordering Mali, has seen a rise in militant violence.