Jihadist Attack on Military Post in Niger Kills 13 People

  • Gunmen opened fire on paramilitary police in Tillabery
  • Ambush on U.S. soldiers on Oct. 4 occurred in same region
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Niger said that 13 members of its security forces were killed in a militant attack that occurred in the same region as the Oct. 4 ambush that left four U.S. troops dead and put U.S. military involvement in West Africa in an international spotlight.

Gunmen opened fire on a post of the national gendarmerie, or paramilitary police, in the town of Ayorou, 200 kilometers (124 miles) northwest of the capital, Niamey, according to Karim Boureima, a deputy for the southwestern Tillabery region. Five gendarmes were injured in the attack early Saturday, Defense Ministry spokesman Amadou Samba Gagara said on state TV.