Gunmen launched a deadly attack on two villages in the vast Tillaberi border region of Niger, resulting in the death of twelve people who were working in the fields, as reported by security and local sources to AFP on Friday.
The tragic incident occurred on Thursday afternoon when armed men targeted the villages of Doukou Saraou and Doukou Makani, located barely a kilometer (half a mile) apart in the Anzourou district. A municipal official confirmed that all the victims were males.
While the official death toll stands at twelve, a security source acknowledged the attacks but refrained from providing specific numbers.
Tillaberi region, known for its unstable and arid conditions, is situated in the tri-border area where southwestern Niger intersects with Mali and Burkina Faso. This region has been a hotbed of insurgent activity associated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
Despite a state of emergency and the presence of a substantial number of anti-jihadist forces, attacks in the region remain prevalent. French soldiers have been collaborating with Nigerien counterparts in the Tillaberi area, as acknowledged by both countries’ authorities.
The recent violence has prompted a significant displacement of civilians, with nearly 11,000 people fleeing their homes in southwestern Niger this month, according to the United Nations. Presently, Tillaberi houses around 150,000 internally displaced people, indicating the gravity of the security situation in the region.
Anzourou district, in particular, has been the target of brutal attacks before, between May 2020 and August 2021, during which dozens of people were massacred by gunmen on motorbikes.
Niger, one of the world’s poorest countries, is grappling with prolonged jihadist violence in its southeastern region, which frequently spills over the border from Nigeria, adding to the complexities of security challenges faced by the nation.
