Niamey, June 21 (QNA) - At least 34 soldiers were killed and 14 others injured in an armed attack by the Islamic State (ISIS) on a Nigerien army base near the border with Mali in the southwestern part of the country.

The Nigerien Ministry of Defense stated in a press release that the attackers, whom it described as mercenaries, used eight vehicles and more than 200 motorcycles in the assault on the base in Bani Bangou last Thursday.

The ministry added that its forces carried out aerial and ground sweeps to secure the area following the attack.

ISIS, for its part, claimed responsibility for the attack on the military base in a statement.

It is worth noting that Niger, like other countries in the Sahel region, is engaged in ongoing battles against militants linked to both Al Qaeda and ISIS. (QNA)