The assailants crossed over the border from Mali and drove up to the village of Ayorou, about 40km (25 miles) inside, before springing their attack, the security sources said. Three US special forces among eight dead in Niger ambush Read more“They were heavily armed. They came in four vehicles each with about seven fighters,” said a security source on the scene. Reinforcements later arrived and stopped them as they tried to cross back over the border, another security source on the scene said, triggering a gun battle. Responding to its ever growing militant threat, Mali on Saturday announced a one year extension of a state of emergency.

Source: The Guardian October 22, 2017 01:07 UTC