Security challenges in Niger.
Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) fighters staged two major attacks on May 13-14. An attempted prison break near the capital Niamey ended in failure, but an ambush in the western Tillaberi region killed at least 28 soldiers. Attacks in Tillaberi are nothing new -- the recent ambush occurred near Tongo-Tongo, where four US and five Nigerien soldiers were killed in October 2017. The attacks do, however, underscore the persistent and complex security challenges Niger faces.
Deteriorating security dynamics in Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali will contribute to negative feedback loops.
While ISGS is winning attention and praise from Islamic State leadership, this may not translate into more financial or military support.
Recurrent violence could erode Niger’s image as one of the Sahel’s more stable states, with consequences for local and national economies.
