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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Niger suicide bombers target Areva mine and barracks |
| 2013-05-23 |
| Suicide bombers have struck a military camp and a French-run uranium mine in two towns in north-west Niger. A bomb at a barracks in Agadez killed at least 19, including 18 soldiers, officials told the BBC. Four attackers died and a fifth is holding four army officers hostage. The attack on the Somair mine, in the town of Arlit, killed one person and injured 14, its operator Areva said. The jihadist Mujao group said it had carried out the two attacks. Mujao spokesman Abu Walid Sahraoui said the operations targeted "the enemies of Islam in Niger", according to Agence France-Presse. "We attacked France, and Niger because of its co-operation with France, in the war against Sharia," he added, thought to be a reference to French and Nigerien involvement in combating Islamists in neighbouring Mali. French President Francois Hollande vowed to protect his nation's interests and co-operate with Niger in its "fight against terrorism". He said on a visit to Germany: "Everybody should know that we will let nothing pass, and support Niger's authorities in ending the hostage taking and destroying the group that carried out these attacks." 'Strong detonation' Both attacks were carried out as people prepared for the early morning prayer just after 05:00 local time (04:00 GMT), BBC West Africa correspondent Thomas Fessy reports. |
| Posted by:tipper |