Former jihadist fighters join Niger army

Ex-jihadists who “repented” person successfully been integrated into the Nigerien service aft respective months of training, subject authorities said Monday.

Niger’s junta, which came to powerfulness 2 years agone successful a coup, has struggled to incorporate jihadist violence.

The state faces deadly attacks from Boko Haram successful the Lake Chad basin and from groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State successful the occidental Tillaberi region.

In the north, wherever Niger’s subject is battling equipped groups adjacent to the ousted regime, dozens of fighters person surrendered to authorities.

On Monday, 369 jihadists and “repentant” equipped question fighters completed respective months of grooming adjacent the superior Niamey, according to authorities tv RTN.

They see 307 men, 21 women and 41 children successful grooming since the extremity of 2024, the interior ministry said successful a connection seen by AFP.

“A bully fig of them person been integrated to service nether the nationalist flag,” portion others person received enactment kits to transportation retired income-generating activities, RTN said.

Eighty-four radical person received kits to acceptable up businesses, according to the interior ministry.

“These men, who were erstwhile misguided but person present chosen to renounce unit and reconcile with the Republic, should nary longer beryllium regarded arsenic enemies,” said Tillaberi Governor Colonel Maina Boukar.

The station Former jihadist fighters articulation Niger army appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.