The defense ministry says that 17 Niger troops were killed on Tuesday in an ambush by suspected jihadists close to the country’s western border with Mali.

A ministry statement published on late Tuesday said, an army detachment was “the victim of a terrorist attack near the town of Koutougou.”

He said another 20 soldiers had been wounded, six seriously, with all the casualties evacuated to the capital Niamey. More than 100 assailants were “neutralised” during their retreat.

jihadist insurgency has plagued Africa’s Sahel region for more than a decade, breaking out in northern Mali in 2012 before spreading to neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso in 2015.

The so-called “three borders” area between the three countries is regularly the scene of attacks by rebels affiliated with the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda.

The unrest across the region has killed thousands of troops, police officers and civilians and forced millions to flee their homes.”

AFP