By James Tasamba
KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – At least 15 Nigerien soldiers were killed during clashes with terrorist groups in western Niger, the National Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
The incident, which occurred at the Bankilare-Tera axis in Niger's Tillabery region, also left 16 soldiers wounded and three others missing and two vehicles destroyed, the ministry said in a statement.
It said 21 terrorists were also “neutralized.”
“The prompt intervention of reinforcements from Tera forced the enemy to retreat toward the north,” it added.
The Tillabery region, which borders Burkina Faso and Mali, faces regular attacks blamed on an affiliate of the Daesh/ISIS terror group.
Nigerien forces recently intensified military operations in the area following an upsurge in attacks carried out by armed terrorist groups.
In March, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso under their new formation the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) announced the creation of a joint military force to counter spiraling security challenges posed by terrorist groups.