On 10 December 2019, a large group of fighters belonging to the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara attacked a military post in

Inates Inates is a village and rural commune in the Tillabéri Region of Niger.

, Tillabéri Region, Niger. They used guns, bombs, and mortars killing over seventy

soldiers A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, or an officer. Etymology The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word , from Old French ...

and

kidnapping In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the p ...

others in one of the worst attacks in the history of Niger.

Background

In the preceding months, attacks by the Islamic State in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have worsened with large scale firearm assaults on both the civilian population and armed forces. In November, gunmen killed over 50

in the 2019 Indelimane attack in the

Ménaka Region Ménaka ( Bambara: ߡߋߣߊߞߊ ߘߌߣߋߖߊ tr. Menaka Dineja) is a region of Mali legislatively created in 2012 from the cercle of the same name previously part of Gao Region. Actual implementation of the region began on 19 January 2016 with t ...

of Mali. A week later in Burkina Faso, gunmen stormed a convoy of buses for the

Boungou Boungou may refer to: * Boungou, Burkina Faso Boungou is a town in the Bilanga Department of Gnagna Province in eastern Burkina Faso Burkina Faso (, ; , ff, 𞤄𞤵𞤪𞤳𞤭𞤲𞤢 𞤊𞤢𞤧𞤮, italic=no) is a landlocked country i ...

miners, killing 37, although some estimate the death toll to be much higher. This attack happened after an attack on another Niger post which resulted in the killing of three Nigerian soldiers and 14 of the assailants.

Attack

A large group of gunmen stormed the base firing mortars and shooting as many soldiers as possible. The attackers included suicide bombers. The spokesman for the ministry stated that many of the attackers were neutralized by friendly forces. The attack killed 71 soldiers and injured 12 others. 30 more soldiers remained missing after the attack. Following this attack, the president, Mahamadou Issoufou, decided to cancel his trip to Egypt.

Aftermath

On 12 December, Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the attack through its local branch.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Inates, Battle of 2019 in Niger 2019 mass shootings in Africa 21st-century mass murder in Africa Attacks on military installations in the 2010s Battles in 2019 December 2019 crimes in Africa ISIL terrorist incidents in Africa Islamic terrorist incidents in 2019 Mass murder in Niger Massacres in 2019 Massacres in Africa Suicide bombings in 2019 Suicide bombings in Africa Terrorist incidents in Niger Tillabéri Region Mass murder in 2019