57 soldiers killed as Islamic State launches two major raids, Niger

According to reports circulating on September 24, including from Tanakra News and accounts monitoring Sahel security, militants affiliated with the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS/EIGS, also referred to as Islamic State Sahel Province) attacked a military position in the Tahoua region of western Niger. The assault killed 38 soldiers.

The same day, a separate attack in the Abala-Filingué sector killed 19 gendarmes, bringing the reported total for the two incidents to at least 57 members of the Nigerien defense and security forces. Details on the exact tactics, duration of the fighting, equipment losses, or any attacker casualties remain limited in initial accounts. Official confirmation or a detailed statement from Nigerien authorities was not immediately available in open sources at the time of these reports.

Tahoua, particularly areas near the Mali border, has long been a hotspot for jihadist activity linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda affiliates. The region has seen repeated deadly assaults on military outposts in recent years as Niger, under military junta rule since the 2023 coup, continues to face a persistent insurgency in the Sahel. This latest incident underscores the ongoing security challenges for Nigerien forces operating in remote and contested zones.