Nearly 40 Nigerien soldiers attacked near Burkina Faso, President Putin discusses solutions

AFP today, August 16, quoted an announcement from the Niger Ministry of Defense saying that a detachment of the country's armed forces was "victim of a terrorist ambush near the town of Koutougou".

In addition to the 17 soldiers killed, the Niger Defense Ministry said the attack left 20 soldiers injured, six of them seriously. The Niger military said more than 100 attackers were “neutralized” during their retreat.

Niger's military government says ready for talks

The attack comes as Niger is in crisis following a July 26 coup. Western powers and African democratic governments have called on the leaders of the coup in Niger to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been detained since July 26.

West African military commanders will meet on August 17 and 18 in Ghana to prepare for a possible military intervention, after the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) threatened to launch such an intervention if diplomacy failed.

Any military intervention could further destabilize the impoverished Sahel countries, where an insurgency by groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group has displaced millions of people over the past decade and caused famine.

General Abdourahmane Tiani, declared Niger's new head of state by coup leaders, arrives to meet ministers in Niamey, Niger, on July 28.

Niger's military government had previously rejected and rejected attempts at negotiations, but on August 15 said it was ready to negotiate to resolve the regional crisis caused by the coup, according to Reuters.

"We are in a transition process. We have explained everything from beginning to end, reiterating that we are ready to be open and talk to all parties, but we insist that the country must be independent," said Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, who was appointed prime minister by the Niger military last week.

Mr. Zeine spoke after a meeting with President Mahamat Deby of Chad, who staged his own coup in 2021. The coup in Niger was the seventh in West and Central Africa in the past three years, according to Reuters.

Russia's influence in West Africa is growing?

The new coup in Niger and its aftermath have attracted the attention of powers with strategic interests in the region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15 had a phone conversation with Mali's interim President Assimi Goita about the coup in Niger. The two leaders "focused on the situation in the Sahara-Sahel region. In particular, they stressed the need to resolve the situation around the Republic of Niger by peaceful political and diplomatic means," according to TASS news agency, citing a statement from the Kremlin.

On the same day, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said the administration of US President Joe Biden is committed to a diplomatic solution, emphasizing that Niger is a partner they do not want to lose.

A US special forces soldier demonstrates how to detain a suspect during a US-led international training exercise for African soldiers in Diffa, Niger, March 4, 2014.

Russia’s influence in West Africa has grown while that of the West has waned since a series of coups began. Military leaders in Mali and Burkina Faso have expelled troops from France and strengthened ties with Russia.

Under President Bazoum, Niger remained an ally of the West. The United States, France, Germany and Italy had troops stationed in Niger under agreements with the ousted civilian government.

Support for Russia appears to have grown in Niger since the coup, with supporters of the military government waving Russian flags at protests and calling for France to withdraw its troops, Reuters reported.

Niger's coup leaders have cancelled a series of military agreements with France, although Paris has rejected this by saying it does not recognise Niger's military government as the legitimate government.

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