NIAMEY, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- A total of 13 Nigerien gendarmes were killed and five others injured on Saturday in an attack by unidentified gunmen in Ayorou, Tillabery region, near the Malian border, the defense ministry said.
"Unidentified armed elements... on board vehicles and motorcycles" launched the attack at dawn Saturday, the ministry said in a statement, a copy of which was sent to Xinhua.
The assailants fled toward the Malian border after the attack, a security source said earlier.
Several fighter jets took off Saturday morning from Niamey to provide support to the Nigerien armed forces in pursuit of the attackers.
The Ayorou base of the gendarmerie has already been the subject of several terrorist attacks in the past, the last one being on May 11.
Over the last two years, Niger has suffered several terrorist attacks from northern Mali, which have left dozens of victims among the Nigerien security forces.
On Oct. 5, four Nigerien soldiers and four Americans were killed in fighting with unidentified individuals.
These attacks come despite the state of emergency declared in this area of Niger on March 3.
