At least 22 people were killed when armed assailants on motorbikes stormed a village in western Niger during a baptism ceremony, local sources and media reports confirmed on Tuesday.
The attack, which occurred on Monday in the Tillaberi region bordering Burkina Faso and Mali, highlights the persistent insecurity in an area plagued by jihadist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
According to a local resident who spoke on condition of anonymity, the attackers also targeted the outskirts of Takoubatt village, killing an additional seven people.
Nigerien outlet Elmaestro TV described the incident as a “gruesome massacre” of innocent villagers, while human rights advocate Maikoul Zodi decried the killings as “barbarism that once again throws the Tillaberi region into mourning and despair.”
The Tillaberi area has long been a hotspot for jihadist violence. Despite the deployment of large numbers of troops, Niger’s military rulers, who came to power in a coup two years ago, have struggled to stem the wave of attacks. Just last week, around 20 soldiers were killed in the same region.
Human Rights Watch urged the authorities to strengthen protection for civilians, noting that the Islamic State has summarily executed more than 127 villagers and worshippers in Tillaberi since March.
Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) indicates that approximately 1,800 people have been killed in Niger since October 2024, with nearly three-quarters of the fatalities occurring in Tillaberi alone.
