| Battle of Inates | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Insurgency in the Maghreb | |||||||
  Battle of Inates (Niger)
| |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Niger |
 ISIL Islamic State West Africa Province | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 220[citation needed] | 150[citation needed] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
101 killed and missing[1] 12 wounded | Light | ||||||
On 10 December 2019, a large group of fighters belonging to the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara attacked a military post in Inates, Tillabéri Region, Niger. They used guns, bombs, and mortars killing over seventy soldiers and kidnapping others in one of the worst attacks in the history of Niger.[2][3][4]
Background[]
In the preceding months, attacks by the Islamic State in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have worsened with large scale firearm assaults on both the civilian population and armed forces. In November, gunmen killed over 50 soldiers in the 2019 Indelimane attack in the Ménaka Region of Mali. A week later in Burkina Faso, gunmen stormed a convoy of buses for the Boungou miners, killing 37, although some estimate the death toll to be much higher.[5][6][7] This attack happened after an attack on another Niger post which resulted in the killing of three Nigerian soldiers and 14 of the assailants.[8]
Attack[]
A large group of gunmen stormed the base firing mortars and shooting as many soldiers as possible. The attackers included suicide bombers.[9] The spokesman for the ministry stated that many of the attackers were neutralized by friendly forces. The attack killed 71 soldiers and injured 12 others. 30 more soldiers remained missing after the attack. Following this attack, the president, Mahamadou Issoufou, decided to cancel his trip to Egypt.[8][9]
Aftermath[]
On 12 December, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack through its local branch.[10]
References[]
- ↑ "More than 70 soldiers feared killed in ambush in Niger". Jason Burke. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/11/more-than-70-soldiers-feared-killed-in-ambush-in-niger. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
- ↑ "At least 70 soldiers killed in attack on Niger military camp" (in en). 2019-12-11. https://www.france24.com/en/20191211-niger-soldiers-killed-attack-sahel-military-camp-issoufou-keita-macron-france-tuareg-islamic-state-al-qaeda-dead.
- ↑ Paquette, Danielle. "More than 70 soldiers killed in attack on military base in western Niger" (in en). https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/more-than-70-soldiers-killed-in-attack-on-military-base-in-western-niger/2019/12/11/eefe2f8e-1c56-11ea-977a-15a6710ed6da_story.html.
- ↑ Givas, Nick (2019-12-11). "Niger military post ambushed by suspected Islamic militants, at least 70 soldiers killed, officials say" (in en-US). https://www.foxnews.com/world/islamic-attack-terrorism-niger-africa-france.
- ↑ "Militants kill 54 in attack on Mali army post, ISIS claims responsibility" (in en). https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/militants-kill-54-attack-mali-army-post-claims-responsibility-n1075721.
- ↑ "'So many dead': Survivors describe terrifying Burkina Faso ambush" (in en). Reuters. 2019-11-08. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-semafo-attack-idUKKBN1XI1CQ.
- ↑ "AFP.com" (in en). https://www.afp.com/en.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Scores of soldiers killed in Niger base attack". https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/scores-soldiers-killed-niger-base-attack-191211184533878.html.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "71 Soldiers Killed In Attack On Army Camp In Niger" (in en). NPR. 2019-12-12. https://www.npr.org/2019/12/12/787415274/71-soldiers-killed-in-attack-on-army-camp-in-niger.
- ↑ "Islamic State claims responsibility for military camp attack in Niger: statement" (in en). Reuters. 2019-12-12. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-islamic-state-niger-niger-attack/islamic-state-claims-responsibility-for-military-camp-attack-in-niger-statement-idUSKBN1YG27C.
The original article can be found at Battle of Inates and the edit history here.