Eight dead in Niger attack

AFP - 09/03/10

Eight dead in Niger attack
Wednesday 10 March 2010
Five soldiers and three attackers were killed in a skirmish at a military post in western Niger, the country’s government said on Tuesday.

A Malian security source said members of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) were behind the attack, which happened close to the Niger-Mali border between 6:00 and 8:00 am (0500 GMT and 0700 GMT) on Monday.

A spokesman for Niger’s government, Laouali Dandah, said in a statement read on state radio that so far five members of the country’s armed forces and three assailants were known to have died in the attack.

The attackers lost a vehicle in the incident, but burned an army vehicle and fled with another, said Dandah, who did not give details of any wounded.

An investigation has been launched to identify the attackers, who Dandah said had local accomplices and used military equipment.

"The area is rife with all kinds of human and arms traffickers which leads to widespread insecurity," he said.

The border between the two African neighbours is volatile, with clashes and kidnappings reported, and Touareg rebels and Islamic militants active in the area.

Seven soldiers and three civilians were killed in clashes near the border in early January, security officials said at the time.

In December, an armed group attacked six Saudi tourists who were in western Niger on a hunting trip in the desert, over the border from Mali, killing four of them.