Militants have killed at least 71 soldiers in an attack on a military base in western Niger – the deadliest in several years.

At least soldiers were injured in the attack in Ates, the army said.

The Islamic State (IS) group said it carried out the attack.

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Analysts said the insurgency waged in the Sahel by militants linked to IS and al-Qaeda is escalating at an alarming rate despite the presence of thousands of regional and foreign troops.

The Nigerien Defence Minister, Issoufou Katambe, said “a large number of terrorists” had been “neutralised” during the attack, which happened on Tuesday afternoon.

He said there had been “a fierce battle” with “several hundred” militants in Ates, not far from the border with Mali. (BBC)

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