57 Niger security personnel reportedly dead in seperate attacks
At least 57 members of Niger’s defense and security forces were killed in two separate attacks on September 23, 2026, according to security analyst Zagazola Makama.
The first incident occurred in Dabagu, located in the Konni Department of the Tahoua Region, where 38 soldiers of the Nigerien Armed Forces were killed in an assault attributed to Islamic State militants. Several soldiers remain missing, and authorities are in the process of transporting the bodies of the deceased to Tahoua. Some remains have been evacuated to Niamey by helicopter.
The second attack took place around Abala-Filingué in the Tillabéri Region, resulting in the deaths of 19 gendarmes, also linked to Islamic State militants. Makama confirmed that additional soldiers are missing following this assault as well.
These two attacks have significantly heightened the death toll among Nigerien defense and security personnel, reaching a total of 57 fatalities in just one day.
