The death toll from an attack by suspected jihadists on a Niger army base has risen to at least 89, four security sources say.
The toll from Thursday's attack surpasses that from a raid last month that killed 71 soldiers, making it the deadliest against Nigerien forces in years.
The Nigerien government said on Thursday 25 soldiers were killed while successfully repelling the attack - by assailants on motorcycles and in other vehicles - in the western town of Chinagodrar.
But four security sources said that at least 89 members of Niger's security forces killed in the attack were buried on Saturday in the capital Niamey.
Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou expressed his "solidarity" to the victims. Source: DPA
One of the sources said the actual death toll could be higher because a number of soldiers were buried immediately on Thursday in Chinagodrar.
Niger's government spokesman and defence minister did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Saturday.
The Chinagodrar attack, coming a month after the raid in nearby Inates by fighters from an Islamic State affiliate that killed 71 soldiers, highlights the deteriorating security situation near Niger's borders with Mali and Burkina Faso.
Attacks have risen four-fold over the past year in Niger, killing nearly 400 people, according to data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, a non-profit research organisation.
