At least 20 soldiers killed in Niger twin attacks

At least 20 soldiers of the Niger army died and dozens of others were wounded in two suicide attacks in northern Niger on Thursday, local media reported quoting defence officials. Sixteen soldiers were injured when a bomb targeted a camp of the Niger army in the northern city of Agadez, Defence Minister Mahamadou Karidio was quoted by local Le Sahel newspaper as saying.
Three of the attackers died in Agadez in a gun battle that ensued after Islamist extremists attacked an army barracks, the paper said. The other attack hit a uranium mine in the northern industrial town of Arlit operated by French company Areva. In this attack, 14 civilians were injured and two Islamists died, according to the defence official. "The situation is under control and the search for the other attackers is under way," Karidjo said. "There will be a 72-hour period of national mourning starting from today." Areva said 13 of its employees had been injured in the attack.