Twelve Niger soldiers killed in attack, two suspects detained, says army

By Boureima Balima

(Reuters) - Twelve Nigerien soldiers person been killed successful an onslaught successful the westbound of the Sahel state and 2 suspects person been arrested, the service said successful a connection seen by Reuters connected Saturday.

The onslaught took spot connected Friday adjacent the tri-border portion of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, epicentre of a jihadist insurgency successful West Africa linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.

Armed men connected Friday launched a "surprise offensive" connected a subject portion retired connected a ngo astir 10 km (six miles) northbound of the colony of Sakoira, the connection said, referring to the assailants arsenic terrorists.

It did not elaborate connected the apt individuality of the assailants but past period Niger blamed the EIGS group, an Islamic State affiliate, for an onslaught connected a mosque adjacent the tri-border country successful which astatine slightest 44 civilians were killed.

The Sahel insurgency spun retired of a Tuareg rebellion successful bluish Mali successful 2012 and aboriginal dispersed into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger earlier reaching the northbound of coastal West African countries specified arsenic Benin.

Hundreds of thousands person been killed and millions displaced arsenic militants person gained ground, attacking villages, subject and constabulary posts and service convoys.

The nonaccomplishment of governments to reconstruct information contributed to 2 coups successful Mali, 2 successful Burkina Faso and 1 successful Niger betwixt 2020 and 2023. All 3 stay nether subject regularisation contempt determination and planetary unit to clasp elections.

Military authorities chopped ties with accepted Western allies specified arsenic France and the U.S. aft the coups and turned to Russia to assistance successful warring jihadist activity.

(Reporting by Boureima Balima; Writing by Portia Crowe; Editing by Gareth Jones)