Niger: Two soldiers and 55 "terrorists" killed in joint operation with Nigeria

Two soldiers and 55 "terrorists", including several senior military officials of the Islamic State in West Africa (Iswap), were killed during a joint operation of the armies of Niger and Nigeria conducted from May 6 to 28, the Nigerien army said Monday.

The main objective of this operation was "to neutralize the terrorists" who were in their stronghold of Aregé, in northeastern Nigeria, bordering Niger, according to the bulletin of military operations in the region of Diffa (southeastern Niger), consulted Monday.

Among the 55 "neutralized terrorists" are "several senior military officials" as well as "several religious leaders," the bulletin said.

According to the same source, this "ground and air" operation aimed to "maintain pressure" on Iswap and "cut" the supply routes "of armed terrorist groups".

In addition to the two soldiers killed, whose identities have not been specified, three other soldiers were wounded and an army vehicle "damaged".

Thirteen vehicles, as many motorcycles and five "booby-trapped vehicles" belonging to the attackers were destroyed.

The Lake Chad Basin, which stretches its shores between Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad, is a vast expanse of water and swamps where Boko Haram and Iswap have set up hideouts on countless islets. The four states surrounding the lake set up the 2015-strong Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in July 8500 to fight jihadist armed groups.