TheCable

At least 29 soldiers have been killed by hundreds of jihadists in Niger Republic.

The Niger defence military, in a statement, said the jihadists killed the soldiers using “improvised explosive devices and kamikaze vehicles”.

It added that “several dozen terrorists” were also killed in the counter-offensive.

“The provisional assessment of this attack is as follows: on the friendly side, 29 soldiers fell. On the enemy side, several dozen terrorists were neutralized, fifteen motorcycles destroyed, a large quantity of weapons and ammunition seized,” the statement reads.

The attack took place north-west of Tabatol near the border with Mali, which is plagued by fighting with militants.

While jihadist insurgency has plagued Africa’s Sahel region for more than a decade, attacks on the Niger army have risen since the military seized power in July. 

This incident is the heaviest death toll since the coup.

The coup leaders had said they overthrew Mohamed Bazoum’s government because the security situation was deteriorating.

Meanwhile, France is withdrawing its 1,500 troops from Niger before the end of the year, following pressure from the junta.

French forces have been fighting the insurgency in Niger which spilled over from Mali in 2015.