Deadly Attack on Niger Soldiers Near Mali Border

At least 17 Niger soldiers were killed and 20 others injured in an attack by armed groups near the border with Mali. The area where central Mali, northern Burkina Faso, and western Niger converge has become a hotspot for violence by armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS in the Sahel region. The attack comes after a military coup in Niger, with the new government revoking agreements with the French military and suspending aid, making it difficult for Niger to source equipment and deal with the rising cases of attacks.