Niger Recieves Planes, Military Vehicles From US Against Boko Haram

The United States offered Niger two military surveillance planes as attacks by suspected Boko Haram extremists continued in the country’s south-east region bordering Nigeria. Two Niger soldiers were killed and several injured Wednesday in a foiled suicide attack by suspected Boko Haram fighters, Defence Minister
Mahamadou Karidjo said. Karidjo spoke as he took possession of two Cessna C-208 planes equipped with intelligence and reconnaissance systems, as well as around 30 military vehicles and ambulances. A US official said
the aid was worth around 32 million euros. The aircraft “will enable Niger’s armed forces to identify local threats and better secure the border,” said US Ambassador Eunice Reddick. Wednesday’s attack took place in the Diffa region, said private radio station Anfani, the scene of several such incidents since February, including one in June in which 38 people were killed. “It’s not tanks we need but intelligence to fight them,” said Karidjo. Niger is under threat from jihadist fighters along its northern borders with Mali and Libya, and from Boko Haram extremists along its southeast border with Nigeria.