Niger: hundreds of armed assailants kill 34 soldiers

On June 19th, several hundred armed mercenaries on motorbikes and in vehicles attacked the town of Banibangou, according to France 24.

The defence ministry stated that their forces killed “dozens of terrorists”. The military sent reinforcements to the town, and is carrying out searches for the attackers, who are likely linked to the growing jihadist violence in the region.

The attack occurred in the ‘Sahel triangle’, where the borders of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso intersect. This area is overrun with groups affiliated with ISIS and Al Qaeda, which ruling military juntas are struggling to contain.

France 24