No fewer than 17 soldiers were killed and several others declared missing following an attack on a military position in Yatakala, Gorouol area of the Tillabéri region of Niger Republic, preliminary reports have indicated.

Zagazola report that the attack occurred in the early afternoon of Dec. 31, 2025, when armed assailants stormed the position of the Nigerien Defence and Security Forces (SDF) stationed in Yatakala, an area located within the volatile tri-border zone linking Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.

Security sources said preliminary assessments confirmed that at least 17 soldiers lost their lives during the assault, while an unspecified number were still unaccounted for as of the time of reporting.

The Tillabéri region has remained a hotspot for violent extremist activity, with armed groups frequently targeting military positions and local communities, exploiting the porous borders and difficult terrain of the area. (Zagazola, but headline rejigged)