PARIS—The French army said on Thursday that forces from its Operation Barkhane in West Africa had killed close to 40 militants in a strike near the border of Niger with Burkina Faso on June 14.
Following an attack against Niger gendarmes and acting at the request of authorities in Niger, Barkhane forces used air surveillance to track a column of 40 motorcycles, carrying out the strike in close cooperation with Niger forces, the statement said.
