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At least 36 Nigerien soldiers were killed on Tuesday evening when jihadist fighters linked to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) launched a coordinated, large-scale assault on Makalondi, a strategic border town between Niger and Burkina Faso, security sources confirmed.
The attack, which struck at about 6:30 p.m. on February 4 in Niger’s volatile Tillabéri Region, saw heavily armed militants overrun a military position, leaving dozens of troops dead and several others wounded, some critically.
Sources said the attackers carted away at least 12 military vehicles mounted with heavy machine guns, along with large quantities of weapons, ammunition and personal effects. One of the seized vehicles was later found destroyed a few kilometres from the scene, suggesting pursuit or internal sabotage.
In a swift response that underscored the gravity of the losses, Niger’s Chief of Defence Staff, Salifou Mody Barmou, visited Makalondi on February 5 to assess the damage and boost frontline morale.
Barely 24 hours later, violence spilled further south. Suspected Islamic State Sahel Province / ISWAP fighters, in the early hours of February 6, attacked a Customs post in Kouré, in Niger’s **Dosso Region, about 60 kilometres from Niamey.
During the raid, one Customs lieutenant and a Forest Service sergeant were declared missing, while two Customs informants were killed. A Customs vehicle was set ablaze, another seized, and several motorcycles destroyed, according to security officials.
Meanwhile, the jihadist surge has also rocked neighbouring Mali, where JNIM fighters mounted coordinated attacks on Dozo militia positions in Nayo, Ségou, and Bandiagara, Mopti, between January 29 and February 3.
The assaults reportedly inflicted heavy casualties on the pro-government militias.Local reports said the Dozo groups had earlier warned that they were surrounded and appealed for urgent intervention by the Malian Armed Forces (Forces armées maliennes), but no timely response came.
Analysts say JNIM has stepped up its campaign across central Mali, blocking supply routes to Bamako and laying siege to villages associated with Dozo fighters—moves seen as part of a broader strategy to erode state authority and force political concessions.
In response to the worsening security crisis, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—comprising Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso—has announced renewed efforts to confront terrorism through a joint military force, as regional and international partners warn that the Sahel is entering one of its most dangerous phases yet.
Source:ZagazolMakama
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