NAIROBI, Kenya

At least 17 Nigerien soldiers were killed on Wednesday when fighters from the ISGS launched a coordinated assault on a gendarmerie post in Garbougna, a locality on the Tera–Niamey road in the Tillaberi region, according to security sources.

The remote area lies about 120 kilometers (75 miles) west of Niamey, part of a corridor repeatedly targeted by armed groups across the Sahel.

Security sources said the attack began in the early afternoon and involved simultaneous gunfire and explosive devices. A provisional military assessment reported 17 dead, including the mission commander, while 34 others sustained serious injuries. Several soldiers remain missing as search teams continue operations.

Attackers destroyed or seized military vehicles and took weapons and equipment before withdrawing.

Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency news outlet focused on the Lake Chad region, said ISGS fighters overran the position using a multi-pronged offensive that forced surviving personnel to call for reinforcements as militants looted the outpost.

Tillaberi has endured years of attacks by ISGS and JNIM, with porous borders allowing armed groups to move between Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. Security forces and civilians have frequently come under attack along the Tera–Niamey axis, regarded as one of the region’s most volatile routes.

The terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the assault. Local authorities have not yet issued a formal statement, but military sources said reinforcements have been deployed to stabilize the area and recover missing personnel.