At least 20 soldiers and one civilian were killed in western Niger on Tuesday, according to the country's defense ministry.

The attack occurred near the village of Tassia in the Tillaberi region, close to the border with Burkina Faso.

The ministry blamed a "coalition of armed groups" for the attack, stating that nine soldiers were wounded and two military vehicles were damaged. They also claimed that the soldiers killed dozens of attackers while defending themselves. Search operations are underway to locate the remaining perpetrators.

This incident follows another deadly attack in March of this year, where at least 23 soldiers were killed in the same region by armed groups. The Tillaberi region has become a hotspot for violence in recent years. (ILKHA)