battle of Chinagodrar
{{Short description|2020 Nigerien insurgency conflict}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Battle of Chinagodrar
| partof = Insurgency in the Sahel (Jihadist insurgency in Niger)
| image = Militants in the Chinagodar camp, niger 6 (cropped).jpg
| caption = IS-GS militants in the Chinagodar camp
| date = 9 January 2020
| place = Chinagodrar, Filingue Department, Tillabéri Region, Niger
| result = Islamic State victory
| combatant1 = {{flag|Niger}}
{{flag|France}}
{{flag|United States}}
| combatant2 = {{flagicon|ISIL|}} Islamic State in the Greater Sahara
| commander1 =
| commander2 =
| strength1 =
| strength2 =
| casualties1 = {{flagicon|Niger}} 89+ killed, 6 injured
| casualties2 = {{flagicon|ISIL|}} 77 killed{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/89-niger-soldiers-killed-in-jihadist-attack-on-camp-govt-spokesman/article30553043.ece |title=Niger government revises toll of jihadist attack to 89 |author=AFP |author-link=Agence France-Presse |date=13 January 2020 |access-date=5 February 2020 |newspaper=The Hindu}}
| casualties3 =
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Jihadist insurgency in Niger}}
}}
On 9 January 2020, a large group of Islamic State in the Greater Sahara militants assaulted a Nigerien military base at Chinagodrar, in Niger's Tillabéri Region.{{cite news |url=https://france24.com/en/20200109-niger-says-25-soldiers-killed-in-latest-attack-blamed-on-jihadist-militants |title=Niger says 25 soldiers killed in latest attack blamed on jihadist militants |date=9 January 2020 |access-date=5 February 2020 |work=France 24}}{{cite news |author= |author-link= |date=9 January 2020 |title=In Niger, 25 soldiers killed in suspected militant attack |newspaper=The New York Times |agency=Associated Press |url=https://nytimes.com/2020/01/09/world/africa/niger-soldiers-killed.html |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=5 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109232900/https://nytimes.com/2020/01/09/world/africa/niger-soldiers-killed.html |archive-date=9 January 2020}} They attacked an army post in Chinagodrar, in the west of the country, in Tillabéri Region, {{convert|8|mi|km|abbr=off|order=flip|0}} from the border with Mali, {{convert|130|mi|km|abbr=off|order=flip}} north of Niamey. At least 89 Nigerien soldiers were confirmed to have been killed in the attack, with more casualties suspected, making it the worst attack on the army since the start of the insurgency.{{Cite news |last1=Aksar |first1=Moussa |last2=Lewis |first2=David |last3=Balima |first3=Boureima |last4=Ross |first4=Aaron |date=2020-01-11 |title=Niger army base attack death toll rises to at least 89: security sources |language=en |work=Reuters |editor-last=Elgood |editor-first=Giles |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-niger-security-idUSKBN1ZA0TH |access-date=2023-07-09}} The Nigerien government said that 77 militants were killed.
Background
Since 2015 Niger has suffered from a Jihadist insurgency in the western part of the country from militants based in neighbouring Mali. This attack followed those in Niger on 10 and 25 December 2019.{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Fergus |date=2020-01-10 |title=At least 25 Niger soldiers, 63 'terrorists' killed in attack on army base in Tillaberi region |url=https://www.thedefensepost.com/2020/01/10/niger-soldiers-killed-terrorist-attack-chinagodrar-tillaberi/ |access-date=2023-07-31 |website=The Defense Post |language=en-us}}
Attack
The attack on the army post by the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (IS-GS) militants was launched from two directions. In the west, several heavily armed vehicles came from Akabar, Mali, while in the east, men riding several dozen motorcycles came from the Ikrafane forest in Niger. Prior to the attack, the IS-GS militants had rendered the GSM network inoperative after shelling the village of Dareydey. Despite the communication setback, Nigerien soldiers were able to contact air support through radio which came 20 minutes later in the form of a French Mirage 2000D that routed the IS-GS militants in a show of force. Following this, American reaper drones executed two strikes on the retreating militants.{{Cite web |last= |date=2020-01-09 |title=Niger: attaque meurtrière de jihadistes contre un camp de l'armée à Chinagoder |url=https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20200109-niger-attaque-meurtriere-jihadistes-contre-camp-armee-chinagoder |access-date=2023-07-31 |website=RFI |language=fr}}
The attack left at least 89 Nigerien soldiers dead and possibly more as some were buried immediately after the attack in Chinagodrar. 77 IS-GS militants were also killed.
Aftermath
The Nigerien government declared three days of national mourning after the battle.{{cite news |last=Adebayo |first=Bukola |date=13 January 2020 |title=Niger declares three days of mourning after 89 soldiers killed in attack on military base |work=CNN |publisher= |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/13/africa/niger-military-base-soldiers-dead/index.html |access-date=5 February 2020}} Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou fired General Ahmed Mohamed, the chief of the Nigerien Army, and replaced him with Major General Salifou Modi.{{cite news |last1=Aksar |first1=Moussa |last2=Balima |first2=Boureima |last3=Pujol-Mazzini |first3=Anna |date=13 January 2020 |title=Niger sacks army chief after deadliest attacks in years |work=Reuters |publisher= |editor-last=McAllister |editor-first=Edward |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-niger-security-politics/niger-sacks-army-chief-after-deadliest-attacks-in-years-idUSKBN1ZC19D |access-date=5 February 2020 |editor2-first=Giles |editor2-last=Elgood}}
Several hundred inhabitants of Chinagodrar, mainly former Malian refugees from the 2012 rebellion, fled the region and took refuge in Andéramboukane, Mali.{{Cite web |last= |date=2020-01-17 |title=Niger: des centaines d'habitants de Chinagoder se refugient au Mali |url=https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20200117-niger-centaines-habitants-chinagoder-refugient-mali |access-date=2023-07-31 |website=RFI |language=fr}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{coord missing|Niger}}
Category:2020 mass shootings in Africa
Category:2020 murders in Niger
Category:21st-century mass murder in Nigeria
Category:Attacks on military installations in 2020
Category:January 2020 crimes in Africa
Category:Terrorist incidents in Niger in 2020
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chinagodrar, Battle of}}
Category:Battles involving the United States
Category:Battles involving France
Category:Battles involving Islamic State – Sahel Province