Several hundred armed men, many on motorbikes, attacked a Niger army base near the border with Mali, leaving 34 dead and 14 wounded, Niger's defence ministry said, quoted by Reuters and BTA.
The attackers, described by the ministry as “mercenaries”, used eight vehicles and more than 200 motorbikes in the attack on the base in Bani Bangu on Thursday.
“Islamic State“ claimed responsibility for the attack on its Telegram channel yesterday.
Niger, like other countries in the Sahel, is battling Islamist militants linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
Following the attack, army units carried out air and ground search operations, Niger's defense ministry said, without giving further details.