NIAMEY, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The Confederation of Sahel States has expressed strong support for Niger following Thursday's terrorist attack on Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, which killed 11 soldiers and two civilians.
In a statement broadcast by Nigerien television on Saturday, the bloc, which consists of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, praised the Nigerien armed forces for their swift and professional response, saying troops "neutralized" the attackers during the assault.
It said the attack appeared to be aimed at weakening the operational capacity of Niger's military and reversing recent battlefield losses suffered by armed terrorist groups.
However, it said Nigerien forces quickly repelled the attackers, describing the operation as another defeat for militant groups due to the army's vigilance, responsiveness and commitment.
The confederation said such repeated and "orchestrated" attacks would not weaken its member states, but instead reinforce unity among Sahel countries around their leaders' shared goals of protecting territorial integrity, safeguarding civilians and restoring lasting peace in the region.
An armed group linked to al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for Thursday's attack, during which 22 armed attackers were also killed. ■
