At least 38 Nigerien soldiers have been killed in two separate attacks on military positions by suspected Islamic State fighters, raising fresh concerns over the worsening security situation and the growing threat posed by extremist groups across the country.
The attacks were reported by security analyst Zagazola Makama, who said the incidents occurred in the Dosso and Diffa regions of Niger.
According to Makama’s report, the latest assault took place on Friday, July 30, when suspected Islamic State fighters launched a coordinated attack on a military position in Dankassari, an area located between Doutchi and Yaya in the Dosso Region.
The attackers reportedly overran the forward operating base of the Nigerien Defence and Security Forces (FDS) following intense fighting.
Providing details on the casualties from the attack, Makama said:
“The consolidated casualty figure stood at 21 soldiers killed. The number of wounded or missing personnel was not immediately available.”
The attack came hours after another deadly assault in the town of N’Guigmi in the Diffa Region, where 17 members of the Nigerien Defence and Security Forces, including an officer, were killed in an attack also attributed to suspected Islamic State fighters.
The two incidents brought the total number of Nigerien security personnel killed on July 31 alone to 38.
Makama said the attacks highlight the persistent security challenges facing Niger despite ongoing military operations against extremist groups operating in the Tillabéri, Dosso, Diffa, and Tahoua regions.
The report also cited data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) project, which indicates that at least 5,828 people — including more than 2,000 members of Niger’s Defence and Security Forces — have been killed in terrorism-related violence since the military takeover on July 26, 2023.
