Four (04) elements of the National Guard of Niger (GNN) lost their lives yesterday Monday, following the attack on their position while providing security for a gold site located some 80 km to the west of Séguidine, in Djado, Bilma department (Agadez region).
This new attack carried out by unidentified armed individuals testifies to the climate of insecurity that prevails in this border area of Libya where, on April 11, a large shipment of arms and ammunition was intercepted on board two vehicles by Nigerian forces.
In addition to the 4 guards killed, another was injured according to security sources who confirmed this new attack that targeted a gold site whose operating license is managed by an economic operator in the region. The assailants also took vehicles according to the report which remains provisional and unofficial. However, according to local sources, the attackers retreated to a neighboring country following their crime.
Already quite worrying since the start of the Libyan crisis, the security situation in this northern part of Niger has continued to deteriorate in recent days with the proliferation of acts of banditry, cross-border crime, armed attacks, and trafficking of all kinds of weapons and ammunition.
On April 11, vehicles coming from Libya were intercepted by a patrol of the Niger Defense and Security Forces (FDS). According to a provisional assessment provided by security and local sources, following the proceedings initiated, two (02) vehicles were seized onboard a large shipment of weapons and ammunition including, among others, 77 AK47 rifles; 80 FM rifles; 3 rockets including 1 RPG7; 2 automatic pistols and more than 30,000 ammunition in all categories.
Remember that the Djado, in the north of the country, is a transit zone par excellence for migrants heading for the Maghreb countries and Europe. It is also full of several gold sites, some of which are exploited illegally despite the reinforced presence of defense and security forces, especially on the border with Libya and Chad.
