By James Tasamba
KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – At least six Nigerien soldiers were killed in a landmine explosion near the border with Mali, Niger's army said Thursday.
An army patrol vehicle "returning from Inates in the western region of Tillaberi hit an improvised explosive device" earlier this week near the village of Tingara, the Defense Ministry said in a bulletin.
Several other soldiers who were wounded, including two seriously, were evacuated aboard an army helicopter to the capital Niamey, it said.
The military said it later launched an air reconnaissance operation in which a dozen terrorists were killed and three others captured.
A separate airstrike in Amalaoulaou village in Mali resulted in the “neutralization” of at least eight terrorists, it added.
The Tillaberi region, which borders Burkina Faso and Mali, faces regular attacks blamed on an affiliate of the Daesh/ISIS terrorist group.
Last month, 23 Nigerien soldiers were killed and 17 others injured in a terrorist ambush in Tillaberi.
Niger is ruled by a junta which ousted elected President Mohamed Bazoum last July, citing a worsening security situation.
Last month, the junta cancelled “with immediate effect” a 2012 defense cooperation agreement with the US.
The move followed the cancellation of two security and defense partnerships with the European Union last year.