Gunmen on motorcycles kill 34 Niger soldiers, ministry says, as ISWAP claims responsibility

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — ISWAP fighters are seen gathering in this still image released in 2019 by the Islamic State group-linked Amaq propaganda network.

NIAMEY  -  Several hundred armed men, many on motorbikes, attacked a Niger army base near the border with Mali, leaving at least 34 soldiers dead and 14 wounded, the Defence Ministry said.

The attackers - described as "mercenaries" by the ministry - used eight vehicles and more than 200 motorbikes in the raid on the base in Bani-bangou on Thursday, according to the statement read out on state TV.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack on the army base in a statement on its Telegram channel on Friday.

Niger, like other countries in West Africa's Sahel region, is battling Islamist militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.

Troops carried out aerial and ground search operations to secure the area after the attack, the ministry said without going into more detail on the assault.

 (Reporting by Moussa Aksar, additional reporting by Yomna Ehab; Writing by Ayen Deng Bior; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Rod Nickel // REUTERS)