Other MoA event in Niger on Wed 23rd September 2026

NIGER 🇳🇪 | Yesterday, on 09/23, two terrorist attacks, attributed to the EIS, targeted Nigerien forces

1. The first, occurring around 6:30 a.m. in Fartal (22 km east of Abala, Tillabéri region), reportedly struck a mixed patrol made up of GAR-SI personnel, police, and army members. According to local sources, the attack reportedly killed at least 20 security forces personnel, along with 14 seriously injured who were evacuated to the Niamey garrison.

The Nigerien Ministry of Defense issued a statement on this attack in the evening on national television Télé-Sahel (RTN), citing "several human and material losses" after making contact with "a large column of motorcycle-borne mercenaries, heavily armed," which had reportedly "been forced to break contact and withdraw northward." Among the victims, the names of Captain Hassoumie and Adjutant Djindagarey were mentioned.

2. The second attack, in the locality of Dabagu (Konni department, Tahoua region), reportedly killed 38 members of the Nigerien Armed Forces (FAN), along with several missing. According to local sources, the bodies were transferred to Tahoua, while other remains were airlifted to Niamey by helicopter. Several soldiers are also reported missing.

sources: @ighazer and @hamid_gade

⚠️ As of this time, the EIS has not claimed the attack. Nevertheless, northern Tillabéri is the heart of the terrorist group's area of operations, and the Konni department, in the south of the Tahoua region, is meanwhile exposed to activities by the Lakurawa group, affiliated with the EIS. (see our map 🗺️ below)

ℹ️ The GAR-SI (Rapid Action Group for Surveillance and Intervention) is a unit of the Nigerien National Gendarmerie (GNN) created in 2018 as part of the regional GAR-SI Sahel program. This program also enabled the creation of similar units in several Sahel countries, particularly to combat terrorism and cross-border crime. Funded by the European Union, the program was suspended in Mali and Burkina Faso in 2022.