Africa

Africa

25 people killed, 30 injured in suicide attacks in Niger

23 May 2013 17:29 (UTC +04:00)

20 Nigerien soldiers and 5 assailants died in twin suicide- attacks against a military barracks in Agadez, the main town in northern Niger, and another one at a factory owned by Somair, a subsidiary of the French group Areva in Arlit in the northern Niger.

The attacks were made on Thursday morning by Niger's National Defence Minister Karidjo Mahamadou who issued a press statement.

There were also 30 people who were injured, among them 16 soldiers and 14 civilians, the same source said.

"This Thursday, at around 5:30 a.m, two groups of individuals armed with explosives on board Toyota 4x4, simultaneously drove into the Agadez military barracks and the factory of Somair mining company in Arlit with a firm determination to carry out attacks," the statement from the defence minister indicated.

"These terrorist attacks carried out by the suicide-bombers were contained by our soldiers who, despite the heavy loss, managed to neutralize the assailants some of whom decided to blow themselves up," the minister said in the statement.

The Agadez death toll was 20 soldiers and 16 of them injured, while 3 assailants were killed. In Arlit, 14 civilians were injured while two assailants were killed.