Niger: Three assailants killed by army in attack on artisanal gold mine in north

Three attackers were killed by the Nigerien army in an attack on an artisanal gold mine on Friday (June 9th) by "heavily armed" men in the desert area of Arlit (north), near Algeria.

Location of Tchibarakaten, Niger, not far from the border with Algeria. © RFI

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With our correspondent in Niger, Moussa Kaka

The attack occurred in the evening, shortly before dusk. Armed men in eight vehicles stormed the artisanal gold panning site of Tchibarakaten, not far from the Algerian border. It is the largest site, home to nearly 20,000 gold miners of several nationalities, mostly Nigeriens, Chadians, Sudanese and Algerians.

The provisional toll was three assailants killed and one prisoner. Four vehicles were recovered, including one burned, as well as a large quantity of weapons. On the side of the Nigerien defence and security forces, a vehicle was damaged.

Regular convoy attacks

After repelling the attack, the defense and security forces pursued the attackers until nightfall. Vigilance is required, this Saturday morning, on the site of Tchibarakaten. Security officials in the Agadez area are trying to find out who these attackers are and where they come from.

Excavation operations at the site are also continuing to find out if any attackers caught in a vice are hiding in the shelters of gold miners.

Chibarakaten is one of the largest informal settlements in the north of the country with its significant production of undeclared gold. Convoys are regularly attacked. It is to avoid all these losses that the government decided to build an airfield on the site to transfer gold stocks to Niamey.

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