Niamey: Eleven Nigeren security personnel died in an ambush against regional prefect convoy near the country’s border with Burkina Faso on Wednesday, the Interior Ministry said on Friday.
The ministry’s victim was higher than the death reported by local officials.
The attack by alleged Jihadists on the convoy carrying the prefect of Bankilate district was the first to fight government officials in Tilberi.
This is part of the “Tri-border” zone between Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, known as high-level attacks by Jihadists related to Al Qaeda and Islamic State groups (IS), especially against civilians.
The ministry said in a statement that 10 national guard personnel and one gendarme “fell in the field of honor”, added that three more injured.
Two national guard vehicles caught fire and the others were damaged by unknown strikers, who used rifles and rocket launchers, the ministry said.
“Investigations are taking place to find and bring to court these criminal attacks,” the statement added.