Sahel Region Leaders Hold Vigil Prayers in Niger for 71 Soldiers Slain Last Week During an Attack on a Military Camp
Leaders from West African countries fighting the Jihadist insurgency in the Sahel have held a short prayer service in Niger beside the graves of 71 soldiers who were killed last week during an attack on a military camp.
They were buried inside a military base close to the capital Niamey.
The Islamic State (IS) group said it carried out the attack.
A regional force, helped by French troops, is battling the Jihadists.
Last week’s attack in Niger’s western town of Ates was described as the deadliest raid against the Nigerien military in living memory.
The 71 fallen soldiers were part of the G5 Sahel regional force, which is supported by 4,500 French troops.
The presidents of Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Mauritania and Chad will be holding a crisis meeting amidst the deteriorating security situation.
The five-nation counter insurgency force was launched four years ago when almost all the attacks by the Islamist militants were in Mali.
More than 200 soldiers have died in Mali since September, with fighters linked to the Islamic State and al-Qaeda asserting responsibility for the attacks.
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