Dozens of civilians were killed and injured in Niger, as a result of attacks launched by militants, targeting villages in the Tillaberi region in the west of the country, near the border with Burkina Faso.
“In the Mihana area, terrorist elements committed several heinous acts of violence against defenceless civilians, with heavy and tragic losses, 14 people killed and many wounded,” the Nigerien army said in a statement.
According to Agence France-Presse, “the Nigerien army announced the killing of a civilian on Tuesday, and the wounding of 3 others in the same area in a clash with terrorists.”
According to the army’s announcement, in the Tillaberi region as well, “a civilian was killed and 3 others were injured, in a ‘violent clash’ between an army reconnaissance unit and ‘terrorists’ near the town of Chatoumane.”
According to the agency, “Mihana was among six targeted areas in the Tillaberi region, which lies on Niger’s border with Mali and Burkina Faso and is used as a refuge by militants from ISIS and Al-Qaeda. Militants from the two organizations frequently target civilians in Mihana, leading to mass displacement.”
The army added that “the security forces responded effectively and were able to neutralize a number of terrorists.”
According to the conflict monitoring organization ACLED, “extremist militants killed about 1,500 civilians and soldiers in Niger last year, compared to 650 last year until July 2023.”
Niger is ruled by military leaders who seized power in a coup last July, citing the country’s deteriorating security situation. Niamey is also facing violence from Boko Haram militants and their rivals in the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP).
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2024-08-16 16:32:47