NIAMEY, Jan 7 (NNN-XINHUA) — Seven people, including Torodi Prefect Captain Chaibou Mali and his family, were killed in a terrorist attack in western Niger, national television Tele Sahel reported.
The Defense and Security Forces responded swiftly to the overnight attack on Sunday, killing one terrorist on the spot and several others as they attempted to flee after a targeted airstrike, said the report.
An air-ground operation has been launched to “dismantle terrorist cells operating in the area, neutralize their local networks and sustainably degrade their operational capabilities,” it said.
Troops recovered a motorcycle registered in a neighboring country, a weapon and a communications radio, said the report.
The motorcycle provided “tangible evidence” that the attack was part of “a structured, cross-border terrorist dynamic benefiting not only from local complicity but also from logistical, informational and operational support amounting to a genuine strategic sponsor,” it said. — NNN-XINHUA