At least 67 people, including soldiers and civilians, were reportedly killed after suspected jihadist fighters attacked a Nigerien military engineering unit in Garbougna, near the Mali border.

Security and local sources said the attack occurred on Thursday, May 14, 2026, in the Tillabéri region of western Niger, an area frequently targeted by armed extremist groups operating within the Sahel.

According to the sources, the military unit was engaged in the construction of a bridge in the area when heavily armed attackers stormed the base in what has been described as one of the deadliest assaults in recent months.

The attackers reportedly destroyed the entire camp during the operation.

Sources said several civilians working around the project site were among those killed in the assault, while many others sustained injuries or fled into nearby communities.

Following the attack, Nigerien security forces reportedly launched clearance and pursuit operations around the area.

However, some sectors remained inaccessible due to the presence of improvised explosive devices allegedly planted by the attackers.

The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims later claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement issued hours after the incident.

Security analysts said the claim was particularly significant because Garbougna lies within an area previously regarded as a stronghold of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, suggesting possible shifts in territorial influence among jihadist factions operating across the Sahel.

The development is seen as another indication of the worsening security situation within the tri-border region linking Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, where extremist groups continue to intensify attacks against military and civilian targets.

Authorities in Niger had yet to issue an official casualty figure as of the time of filing this report.(Zagazola)

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