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{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Midal attack
| place             = Midal valley, [[Tahoua Region]], [[Niger]]
| partof            = [[Jihadist insurgency in Niger]]
| date              = July 5, 2017
| result            = JNIM victory
| combatant1        = {{flagdeco|Niger}} [[Niger]]
| combatant2        = {{flagdeco|ISIS}} [[JNIM]]
| casualties1       = 5-6 killed<br>2-3 injured<br>4 vehicles captured
| casualties2       = None
}}
{{Campaignbox Jihadist insurgency in Niger}}

On July 5, 2017, jihadists from [[Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin]] (JNIM) attacked Nigerien forces near [[Midal, Niger|Midal]], Niger. The attack was the first claimed by JNIM in Niger.

== Background ==
[[Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin]] (JNIM) is an al-Qaeda-aligned coalition of jihadist movements from the [[Mali War]], consisting of [[Ansar Dine]], [[Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb]], [[Katiba Macina]], and militants from other groups. The coalition was formed in March 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nsaibia |first=Héni |date=2023-11-13 |title=Actor Profile: Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) |url=https://acleddata.com/2023/11/13/actor-profile-jamaat-nusrat-al-islam-wal-muslimin-jnim/ |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=ACLED |language=en-US}}</ref> In the early 2010s, [[AQIM]] and [[Al-Mourabitoun (militant group)|al-Mourabitoun]] began sporadic attacks on French, Malian, and Nigerien forces in Niger when the jihadists attempted to traffick arms through Niger from Libya and Algeria. However, in October 2016 the newly established [[Islamic State in the Greater Sahara]] (ISGS) began exerting influence in Niger and attacking Nigerien forces.<ref name="Roux">{{Cite web |last=Roux |first=Pauline Le |title=Exploiting Borders in the Sahel: The Islamic State in the Greater Sahara |url=https://africacenter.org/spotlight/exploiting-borders-sahel-islamic-state-in-the-greater-sahara-isgs/ |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=Africa Center for Strategic Studies |language=en-US}}</ref> ISGS and JNIM, being provinces of the Islamic State and al-Qaeda, waged war with each other on behalf of their central commands, although JNIM exerted scarce influence in Niger and many of the clashes took place in Mali's [[Ménaka Region]] on the Nigerien border.<ref name="Roux"/>

== Attack ==
Jihadists attacked a Nigerien patrol in the Midal valley in [[Tahoua Region]] on July 5, 2017. The valley is located a hundred kilometers from the village of [[Tassara]] and thirty kilometers from the Malian border.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2017-07-05 |title=Niger: plusieurs soldats tués dans une attaque près de la frontière malienne |url=https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20170705-niger-attaque-meurtriere-contre-militaires-midal-pres-frontiere-malienne |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=RFI |language=fr}}</ref> The attackers arrived on motorcycles and pickups, and fighting lasted from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2017-07-05 |title=Niger: cinq soldats tués dans une attaque dans l'Ouest |url=http://www.slateafrique.com/765060/niger-cinq-soldats-tues-dans-une-attaque-dans-louest |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=Slate Afrique |language=fr-FR}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Nigerien special forces and French forces arrived on scene and intervened in the attack, but the jihadists destroyed a communications post and fled.<ref name=":1" />

The attack was claimed by JNIM on July 9, the first attack in Niger claimed by the group.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2017-07-09 |title=Niger: la coalition terroriste d'Iyad Ag Ghali revendique l'attaque de Midal |url=https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20170710-niger-coalition-terroriste-iyad-ag-ghali-revendique-attaque-midal |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=RFI |language=fr}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2017-07-11 |title=L'attaque du camp militaire de Tahoua au Niger revendiquée par Iyad Ag Ghali |url=https://www.voaafrique.com/a/niger-revendication-attaque-camp-militaire-tahoua-iyad-ag-ghali/3937432.html |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=Voice of America |language=fr}}</ref> In their statement claiming responsibility, JNIM stated they wanted to punish Niger for their "atrocities" in Mali and for Nigerien involvement with French forces of [[Operation Barkhane]].<ref name=":2" /> Mauritanian journalist [[Lemine Ould Mohamed Salem]] stated that the Midal attack was an attempt by JNIM to expand their influence outside of Mali and to counter the growing influence of ISGS.<ref name=":2" />

In 2019, the Nigerien government accused the [[High Council for the Unity of Azawad]] (HCUA) for complicity in the attack.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2019-09-19 |title=Mali: le Niger accuse des membres du HCUA de complicité avec les terroristes |url=https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20190919-mali-le-niger-accuse-membres-hcua-complicite-terroristes |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=RFI |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-09-22 |title=Crise malienne : le coup de semonce des pays voisins |url=https://www.lepoint.fr/afrique/crise-malienne-le-coup-de-semonce-des-pays-voisins-22-09-2019-2337074_3826.php |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=Le Point |language=fr}}</ref> A Nigerien government document obtained by [[Radio France Internationale|RFI]] accused [[Bohada Ag Hamzata]], head of security for Mali's [[Kidal Region]], of participating in the attack and allegedly being seriously injured. Hamzata and the HCUA denied the accusations.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-09-20 |title=Mali: le HCUA se défend de toute attaque terroriste au Niger |url=https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20190919-mali-hcua-attaque-terroriste-niger |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=RFI |language=fr}}</ref>

== Casualties ==
Local sources reporting to RFI, [[Agence France-Presse|AFP]], and [[Xinhua]] stated five to six Nigerien soldiers were killed, two to three were injured, and the JNIM militants seized four vehicles.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> JNIM did not report a death toll although they stated they did not lose any fighters, and stated they seized four vehicles with anti-aircraft weapons and light weapons.<ref name=":3" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Terrorist incidents in Niger]]

{{undercategorised|date=July 2024}}