Niger’s defence ministry mentioned Friday its troops killed 79 “terrorists” in operations final week that concerned a foray into neighbouring Mali.
Troops from the military’s anti-jihadist Almahaou operation started the search after they have been attacked by an “armed terrorist group” within the western city of Tiloa on March 10, the ministry mentioned.

It additionally got here after not less than 17 Nigerien troopers have been killed final month in Intagamey, one other city within the huge western area of Tillaberi, considered one of a number of areas presently below a state of emergency as a consequence of jihadist assaults.

The pursuit, carried out by air and land forces, led to the Hamakat space of Mali, the hideout of the alleged perpetrator of the February 10 assault, the ministry mentioned.

A safety supply contacted by AFP mentioned the operation’s extension into Mali was “unprecedented”.

The ministry didn’t report any army casualties throughout the operation.

The assaults the military reported happened in Tillaberi, which straddles Burkina Faso and Mali — two nations hit by jihadist insurgency.

The area has confronted repeated assaults since 2017 by armed teams linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State community.

In early March, Niger’s armed forces Chief of Workers Normal Salifou Mody was obtained in Bamako by Mali’s junta chief Colonel Assimi Goita.

Niger mentioned they mentioned cooperating on safety alongside the 2 nations’ greater than 800-kilometre (500-mile) border.

AFP

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