NIAMEY, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- France's Foreign Minister (FM) Laurent Fabius arrived in Niger on Sunday to reiterate France's support in the fight against Boko Haram terrorist group.
Shortly after arriving in the Nigerien capital, Fabius held talks with Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou at the Presidential Palace.
The visit comes after Friday's attack by Boko Harama on the Nigerien locality of Karanga, near the border with Nigeria where seven Nigerien soldiers were killed and five others are still missing. About 15 terrorists were killed.
It should be recalled that some French soldiers have been deployed alongside Nigerien troops to fight against Boko Haram in Niger's southeast region.
Fabius is in Niamey on one hand to reassure Niger of France's support and on the other, as part of his country's campaign to push for a UN donors' conference to help countries that have been attacked by Boko Haram.
Since Feb. 6, 2015, Nigerien localities of Bosso and Diffa have come under heavy attacks from Boko Haram, carried out from the group's position in Nigeria.
The attacks have left at least 15 Nigerien soldiers dead, while 280 Boko Haram fighters were killed. At the same time, about 160 sect members were arrested.
