ABIDJAN: Several soldiers were killed in a jihadist attack on Niger troops in the southwest of the country, a local source said Wednesday.The source said an army river brigade had been attacked in the Falmey district of Dosso region and there were "several dead", without giving a figure.The Wamaps west African network of security journalists said that up to 44 troops were killed Monday by the Katiba Hanifa group which is linked to Al Qaeda.It was the latest in a series of major raids on the Niger army by jihadist forces.Several soldiers were killed Sunday in an attack on a military position at Eknewan, near the Mali border in western Niger. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State group, which said about 40 troops were killed.

AFP has not been able to independently verify the figure.The brigade targeted Monday operates in the Niger river region near the border with Benin and has already been attacked several times, according to the army.One soldier was killed in Falmey in a clash in March and because of increased attacks, authorities last week banned motorcycles from the roads in several areas near the border with Nigeria and Benin.Niger's army cited the mounting jihadist threat when it staged a coup in the country in 2023.