At least 67 people, including soldiers and civilians, have reportedly been killed after suspected jihadist fighters launched a deadly attack on 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 extremist groups operating across the Sahel.
According to reports, the military unit was engaged in the construction of a bridge when heavily armed assailants stormed the base in what has been described as one of the deadliest attacks in recent months. The attackers reportedly destroyed the entire camp during the operation.
Several civilians working around the construction site were also said to be among the victims, while many others sustained injuries or fled to nearby communities for safety.
In response, Nigerien security forces reportedly launched clearance and pursuit operations around the area. However, some locations remained difficult to access due to improvised explosive devices allegedly planted by the attackers.
The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims later claimed responsibility for the assault in a statement released hours after the incident.
Security analysts noted that the claim was significant as Garbougna lies in an area previously considered a stronghold of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, raising concerns over a possible shift in territorial control among jihadist factions in the Sahel.
The attack underscores growing insecurity in the tri-border region linking Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, where extremist groups continue to intensify assaults on military formations and civilian populations.
Authorities in Niger had yet to release an official casualty figure as of the time of filing this report.
