As well as Tuesday's attack in the village of Petel Kole, social media was awash with claims that another savage assault had taken place in Chatoumane, in the same western region, but the ruling junta denied those "unfounded claims".

"The Petel Kole detail was the target of a terrorist attack yesterday afternoon. A horde of hundreds of criminals on motorcycles tried to take control of the position," the army said.

It said at least 26 attackers had been "neutralised".

Social media posts on the alleged Chatoumane attack said 91 soldiers and around 40 civilians had been killed. AFP was not able to immediately verify the information.

Niger's joint chiefs of staff denied the claim, telling state TV: "It is clear this is a brainwashing campaign by adversaries of the Nigerien people to sap our troops' morale and sow divisions."

Niger has been ruled since July 2023 by a military junta that took power in a coup that ousted elected president Mohamed Bazoum.

Like fellow Sahel neighbours Burkina Faso and Mali, it has been hit by years of violence by jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

At least 1,500 civilians and troops have been killed in jihadist attacks in Niger in the past year, according to conflict monitoring group ACLED -- more than double the 650 killed from July 2022 to July 2023.