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2016 Bani Bangou attack
On November 8, 2016 Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) fighters attacked Nigerien forces in Bani-Bangou, Tillabéri Region, Niger. BackgroundThe Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) was formed by Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi, a former commander in Malian jihadist group MOJWA, after Sahrawi pledged bay'ah to Islamic State caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2015. al-Baghdadi recognized Sahrawi's group as the ISGS in October 2016, and the ISGS began its first attacks in Markoye, Burkina Faso and Koutoukole, Niger that same month.[1] A little over a month prior to the attack, 22 Nigerien soldiers were killed by unknown jihadists in Tazalit, Niger.[2] AttackArmed men attacked a Nigerien military outpost in Bani Bangou at around 5 a.m. on November 8, 2016.[3] Seventeen soldiers were present at the time of the attack.[4] The attackers arrived on ten motorcycles and two vehicles, and were led by ISGS commander Aboubacar Chapori, a close confidant of Sahrawi.[4][5][6] Fighting between the attackers and the Nigerien forces lasted for around an hour.[6] French planes from Operation Barkhane flew over the battle in a show of force, causing the jihadists to flee.[7] The jihadists abandoned the Bani Bangou post with two machine-gun equipped vehicles, and headed towards Mali.[6] The ISGS did not claim responsibility for the attack, but French and Malian officials reported that ISGS and MOJWA militants were responsible.[5][8] The Nigerien Ministry of the Interior reported that five Nigerien soldiers were killed, three were wounded, and four were taken hostage.[5] Abdoul Wahid, who was taken hostage in the attack, stated that two soldiers were actually taken hostage, and the other was executed.[4] Two of the jihadists were killed in the battle and 26 were arrested afterward.[6] Wahid stated that the goal of the attackers was not jihad, but instead the killing of foreign soldiers.[4] Further readingReferences
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