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Niger suicide bombers target Areva mine and barracks | Niger suicide bombers target Areva mine and barracks |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Suicide bombers have struck a military camp and a French-run uranium mine in two towns in north-west Niger. | 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 19, including 18 soldiers. Four attackers died. A fifth had held out but AFP quoted the defence minister as saying the operation was now over. | |
The attack on the Somair mine, in the town of Arlit, killed one person and injured 14, its operator Areva said. | 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. | 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. | 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. | "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". | 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." | 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' | '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. | 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. |
He says the army is patrolling in and around Agadez following the attack. | He says the army is patrolling in and around Agadez following the attack. |
Abdoulaye Harouna, a resident of Agadez, told the Associated Press: "We heard a strong detonation that woke the whole neighbourhood, it was so powerful." | Abdoulaye Harouna, a resident of Agadez, told the Associated Press: "We heard a strong detonation that woke the whole neighbourhood, it was so powerful." |
Niger's Defence Minister Mahamadou Karidjo said insurgents had driven a car bomb into the military base there. Around two dozen people were wounded in the blast, including civilians. | Niger's Defence Minister Mahamadou Karidjo said insurgents had driven a car bomb into the military base there. Around two dozen people were wounded in the blast, including civilians. |
He said the government had declared a three-day period of national mourning. | He said the government had declared a three-day period of national mourning. |
AFP quoted Mr Karidjo as saying that the final attacker was overpowered several hours later and that the operation had now ended. | |
Further north in Arlit, a suicide bomber blew up a car close to workers at the mine operated by French nuclear company Areva. | Further north in Arlit, a suicide bomber blew up a car close to workers at the mine operated by French nuclear company Areva. |
It said one person had been killed and 14 were being treated in hospital. | |
"A man in military uniform driving a 4x4 packed with explosives mixed in with the Somair workers and blew up his vehicle in front of the power station at the uranium treatment facility," a mine employee told AFP. | |
He said the bomber had also died in the blast. | He said the bomber had also died in the blast. |
Niger's Interior Minister Abdou Labo put the number of wounded at the site at about 50. | Niger's Interior Minister Abdou Labo put the number of wounded at the site at about 50. |
Areva said operations at the mine had been "temporarily suspended" and a team will visit the site to assess the damage. | |
Our correspondent says government and local sources report that the crushing and grinding units were hit. | |
Security was stepped up at Areva's Arlit operation - one of the country's biggest uranium mines - in February. Niger provides one-fifth of France's uranium needs, according to French media. | Security was stepped up at Areva's Arlit operation - one of the country's biggest uranium mines - in February. Niger provides one-fifth of France's uranium needs, according to French media. |
Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou said French special forces had moved in to protect the site after dozens of hostages died when Islamist militants seized a gas plant in Algeria in January. | Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou said French special forces had moved in to protect the site after dozens of hostages died when Islamist militants seized a gas plant in Algeria in January. |
Seven workers, including five French nationals, were kidnapped from the Arlit mine by Islamist militants in 2010. | Seven workers, including five French nationals, were kidnapped from the Arlit mine by Islamist militants in 2010. |
Four of them are still being held and it is believed they could be in northern Mali, close to where French troops were sent to oust al-Qaeda-linked militants in January. | Four of them are still being held and it is believed they could be in northern Mali, close to where French troops were sent to oust al-Qaeda-linked militants in January. |
Mujao (the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa) is a splinter group of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) which operates mostly in northern Mali. | Mujao (the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa) is a splinter group of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) which operates mostly in northern Mali. |
It says its objective is to spread jihad to West Africa rather than confine itself to the Sahel and Maghreb regions - the main focus of AQIM. | It says its objective is to spread jihad to West Africa rather than confine itself to the Sahel and Maghreb regions - the main focus of AQIM. |