23 Nigerien soldiers killed, 17 injured, in terrorist ambush attack
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During a sweep operation, Nigerien soldiers were trapped in clashes against an armed group.
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Nigerien servicemen stand guard in Niamey as protesters gather to demand the departure of the French military from Niger. (AFP)
Niger's Defense Ministry revealed that 23 soldiers were killed in a "terrorist" ambush during a sweep operation in a western area bordering Burkina Faso and Mali.
The ministry said the "complex ambush" took place in Tillaberi in the three borders area, in which Nigerien soldiers clashed against "terrorists", killing 30 of them.
The security sweep operation, conducted by the Nigerien army, aimed at reassuring locals and their safety against the recurrent targeting, murders, extortion, and cattle rustling actions opposing armed grounds have engaged in.
However, during the operation, almost 100 armed men attacked the army force using homemade bombs and suicide vehicles, killing 23 of the national forces and injuring 17 more.
Read more: Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger exit ECOWAS, form separate alliance
A joint force to combat insurgencies
Two weeks ago, the army chiefs of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso announced the creation of a joint force to battle long-running terrorist insurgencies raging in their countries.
The new force "will be operational as soon as possible to take into account the security challenges in our space," Niger's army chief Moussa Salaou Barmou said in a statement following talks in Niamey.
"We are convinced that, with the combined efforts of our three countries, we will manage to create the conditions for shared security," he added.
The size of the joint force was unspecified but Barmou said the three armies had agreed to develop an "operational concept" that would allow them to reach their defense and security objectives.
The announcement is the latest bringing closer the three neighbors, who have severed ties with former colonial ruler and traditional security ally France for failing, despite its military presence, to curb the insurgencies spread by militants affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) terrorist groups since 2012.
Read more: ECOWAS' stringent sanctions imposed on Niger lifted
