2023-08-14 13:03:54
Seven members of the Niger National Guard were killed Sunday in a terrorist attack against a military detachment in the town of Abalak, in the Tahoua region, in the south-central part of the country.
According to a security source to the EFE news agency, the number of casualties is still provisional, since “air and ground search operations to find the assailants are still continuing”.
The attack, in which three vehicles were set on fire, was blamed on rebels from the self-styled Islamic State.
Abalak is one of the most frequent victims of attacks by extremist groups.
In addition to insecurity, Niger has been experiencing a political crisis since the end of last month.
The July 26 coup d’état was led by the self-styled National Council for the Safeguarding of the Nation, which announced the impeachment of the President and the suspension of the Constitution.
The military justified the coup with the “continuous deterioration of the security situation and economic and social mismanagement” and stressed that “all institutions” of the republic are suspended.
The coup was condemned by the majority of the international community, with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) deciding to activate the bloc’s “reserve force” for an eventual military intervention aimed at “restoring constitutional order” in Niger, although ensured that it will continue to focus on dialogue.
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