17 soldiers killed as troops repel bandits advance in Niger – Army
However, the scale of the attack and the military casualties underscore the continued security challenges in Nigeria’s North-central region, where armed groups remain active despite repeated military offensives. “Regrettably, 17 brave and gallant soldiers paid the supreme price, while 10 others sustained various degrees of injuries,” Mrs Anele, a lieutenant colonel, said. The Nigerian Army, in a statement signed by its Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Appolonia Anele, described the confrontation as a “deliberate joint operation” involving ground troops and aerial support from the Nigerian Air Force. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later She said the injured personnel were evacuated to a military medical facility, where they are receiving treatment and are reported to be in stable condition. The clash, which occurred late Tuesday night, was part of a coordinated military operation to thwart an incursion by heavily armed criminals into the troubled region. Local sources said the military had laid an ambush after receiving intelligence about the bandits’ movements. “Troops engaged the terrorists in a fierce firefight that lasted over three hours,” the statement said.
