At least 67 people, including soldiers and civilians, were reportedly killed after suspected jihadist fighters attacked 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 armed extremist groups operating within the Sahel.

According to the sources, the military unit was engaged in the construction of a bridge in the area when heavily armed attackers stormed the base in what has been described as one of the deadliest assaults in recent months.

Security analysts said the claim was particularly significant because Garbougna lies within an area previously regarded as a stronghold of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, suggesting possible shifts in territorial influence among jihadist factions operating across the Sahel.

The development is seen as another indication of the worsening security situation within the tri-border region linking Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, where extremist groups continue to intensify attacks against military and civilian targets.

Authorities in Niger had yet to issue an official casualty figure as of the time of filing this report.(Zagazola)