Categories: AFRICA

Niger Village Attacks Killed 100, Prime Minister Says

One hundred people were killed on Saturday in attacks on two villages in western Niger, Prime Minister Brigi Rafini said following one of the deadliest days in recent memory for a country ravaged by Islamist violence.

Rafini announced the death toll in remarks broadcast on national television on Sunday from a visit to the zone, near the border with Mali. He did not say who was responsible.

Security sources said on Saturday that at least 70 civilians had been killed in simultaneous raids by suspected Islamist militants on the villages of Tchombangou and Zaroumdareye.

Niger has suffered repeated attacks by militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State near its borders with Mali and Burkina Faso. The violence is part of a wider security crisis in West Africa’s Sahel region that has unnerved Western allies like France, who have poured troops and resources into the region.

Niger has also seen tit-for-tat killings between rival ethnic communities that have been stoked by the jihadist violence and competition for scarce resources.

Saturday’s attacks came on the same day that the electoral commission announced the results from the first round of the election to replace President Mahamadou Issoufou, who is stepping down after a decade in power.

Ruling party candidate Mohamed Bazoum, who finished in first, expressed his condolences on Sunday to the victims.

The attacks, he said in a video he posted on social media, “remind us that terrorist groups constitute a grave threat to cohesion within communities unlike any other”.

Bazoum will face former President Mahamane Ousmane in a second round run-off expected on Feb. 21.

Follow us on:

AriseNews

Recent Posts

Gatwick Airport South Terminal Evacuated, Bomb Disposal Team Deployed Suspicious Item Found In Luggage

Gatwick Airport's South Terminal was evacuated after a suspected prohibited item was found, prompting bomb…

3 mins ago

Trump Considers Kevin Warsh for Treasury Secretary, Role Of Chairman Of Federal Reserve

Trump is considering Kevin Warsh for Treasury Secretary, with a future possibility of him becoming…

3 hours ago

Hyundai Recalls 145,235 Electrified Vehicles In The US Due To Power Loss Issue

Hyundai has recalled 145,235 electrified vehicles in the US. due to potential loss of drive…

3 hours ago

‘We’re Going to Begin to License Actors’, Says AGN President in A Bid For Standardisation

AGN president Rollas has stressed the need for actor licensing to ensure fair compensation and…

3 hours ago

EU Closes Antitrust Investigation Into Apple’s App Store Rules After Complaint Withdrawal

EU regulators has closed a four-year investigation into Apple's App Store rules after the complainant…

3 hours ago

IPOB Denounces Simon Ekpa As A ‘Destructive Agent’, Clarifies He Was Never A Member Of The Group

IPOB distanced itself from Simon Ekpa, calling him a “destructive agent” who infiltrated and destabilised…

4 hours ago