16 soldiers killed in suspected militant attack

Suspected militants have killed sixteen soldiers in an attack on a military camp in western Niger, an official said Tuesday.

Assalak Alhamdou, the Mayor of Inates town, blamed jihadists from bordering Mali for Monday’s deaths, which come as Niger prepares to host an African Union summit this weekend.

Terrorist groups are, especially, active in Niger’s west, not far from the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso.

Some of the terrorist groups are loyal to al-Qaeda while others are tied to the Islamic State.