Burkina Faso calls Niger ambush that left 17 dead a 'terrorist attack'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
19 Aug 2023 15:47

The country's Defense Minister adds that although it has gotten used such occurrences between armed forces and terrorists, Burkina Faso and Niger are working to tackle the matter of counterterrorism.

A Burkinabe soldier walks past a French armored personnel carrier, part of a French military convoy heading to Niger in Burkina Faso, on November 20, 2021 (AP)

Burkinabe Defense Minister Kassoum Coulibaly declared to Sputnik that the attack in Niger near the border with Burkina Faso that left 17 soldiers dead is considered a terrorist attack.

Coulibaly said: "Niger's top leadership is addressing the issue of counterterrorism. Such cases speak to the influence of terrorist groups that attack defense forces [and] villagers to affect both their morale and their lives".

He added that his country has gotten used to such occurrences between armed forces and terrorists, expressing: "We always try to respond to the best of our ability. They are often in areas where we do not expect them or where there are not many of us, but we try to fight. God willing, we have the necessary means to defeat these terrorists".

At least 17 soldiers were killed in an ambush by an insurgent ambush last Wednesday.

At the time, the Nigerien Defense Ministry confirmed that an army detachment was "the victim of a terrorist ambush near the town of Koutougou" in the Tillaberi region near the border with Burkina Faso, where the two countries struggle to contain terrorist organizations and their militants from carrying out attacks against civilians and troops.

The ambush also wounded 20 other soldiers, among which six were considered severely injured. While all injured troops involved in the ambush were evacuated to Niamey, the Nigerien army successfully neutralized over 100 militants riding motorbikes.

Earlier today, Coulibaly told Sputnik that the country is preparing for a possible military intervention in Niger and is readying to support Niger.

"We anticipate aggression [of ECOWAS forces against Niger]. In any case, the head of our state [Ibrahim Traore] said that we are ready for the aggression, we support Niger," Coulibaly expressed, adding that his country is even willing to withdraw from ECOWAS considering the association's policy towards Niger as unreasonable.

Niger has already opened military recruitment centers for volunteers on Saturday in an effort to amp up the army ahead of the anticipated intervention.