An attack claimed by Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists killed 11 soldiers in northern Niger near the Algerian border, local sources and media reported Saturday.

According to Air Info news website, an army patrol was ambushed in the Ekade Malane area on Friday and the JNIM group claimed responsibility.

It said the 11 soldiers were buried on Saturday in the presence of top officers including armed forces chief of staff General Moussa Salaou Barmou.

State radio confirmed the attack and death toll but said the patrol was ambushed by "bandits".

Occasional attacks

Niger forces stationed near Algeria face occasional attacks by armed assailants.

Niger's vast desert north is however a notorious corridor for illicit traffickers and a transit point for thousands of Africans hoping to reach Europe.

The Sahel country is governed by a military leadership which seized power in July 2023 vowing to tackle Niger's security issues.

Yet unrest persists: since the coup at least 2,400 people have been killed in attacks, according to the international conflict monitor ACLED.

Together with allies Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger is setting up a joint 5,000-strong force to tackle the region's unrest.