The Nigerien army has reported the deaths of 39 civilians following an armed attack on two villages near the country’s border with Burkina Faso.
The assault occurred on Saturday evening in the volatile Tillabéri region, a hotspot for militant activity in the Sahel.
According to a military statement, the attacks targeted the villages of Liberi and Kokoro, leaving 18 dead in Kokoro and 21 in Liberi.
The victims included women and children.
“Armed men coldly executed 39 civilians after suffering severe losses inflicted by military forces,” the statement said.
A Region Plagued by Violence
This incident follows another deadly attack in the same region on Thursday.
Armed assailants targeted a civilian cargo truck, killing 21 people.
That same day, a separate assault on a military base near the Burkina Faso border claimed the lives of 10 Nigerien soldiers.
The Nigerien military had earlier dismissed reports of mass civilian casualties circulating on social media, labeling them as “provocations” aimed at fostering distrust between the army and local populations.
The Tillabéri region lies within the so-called “tri-border area” where Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali meet—a zone that has been a battleground for armed groups since 2017.
This area is regarded as one of the most dangerous in the Sahel due to the presence of militant organizations affiliated with al-Qaeda and ISIS.
A Growing Crisis
Niger has been grappling with a surge in attacks targeting both civilians and security forces.
The government and military have repeatedly condemned these acts of violence, pledging to strengthen counter-terrorism operations.
The latest bloodshed underscores the severe security challenges facing Niger and its neighbors, with the tri-border area continuing to bear the brunt of the region’s escalating instability.
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