BREAKING: 17 Nigerien Soldiers Killed in Attack by Islamic Extremists

At least 17 soldiers of the Nigerien National Gendarmerie have reportedly been killed in an attack by fighters of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS).

Security expert Zagazola Makama reported on his official X handle that the incident occurred on Wednesday at a gendarmerie post in Garbougna, along the Terra–Niamey axis.

According to Makama, the heavily armed militants overran the security position using direct gunfire, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and coordinated maneuvers. The preliminary casualty report indicates that a team leader and a captain were among the 17 personnel killed, while about 34 others sustained serious injuries.

The attackers also destroyed multiple operational vehicles, seized military equipment and weapons, and withdrew from the area.

In response, reinforcement teams were dispatched to the scene, and aerial surveillance was activated to track the fleeing assailants.