Al-Qaeda Advance in Northern Niger: Security Crisis Deepens in the African Sahel
The security crisis in Africa’s Sahel region is escalating as extremist Sunni groups ramp up their activities. The Al-Qaeda affiliate known as the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an extremist Sunni group, has claimed to have captured a military base in northern Niger.
This attack is the latest sign of the growing security collapse in the region and the failure of Niger’s government to contain terrorism. JNIM claims to have completely overrun a military post in the village of Assamaka, located in the Agadez region of northern Niger, near the Algerian border. The Nigerien government has yet to issue an official response to this claim, and no details regarding potential casualties have been released.
Niger has faced an unprecedented surge in attacks from various extremist Sunni groups, including ISIS in the Greater Sahara, Boko Haram, and Al-Qaeda, in recent months. Despite efforts by the ruling military council, the security situation remains highly fragile, especially in the border regions with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Chad.
In a separate incident, local media reported that Nigerien army airstrikes on terrorist positions in the border region of Anjar resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians. The Governor of Tillabéri was dispatched to the area to offer condolences to the victims’ families.
According to local sources, the attackers often use motorcycles to raid villages, looting property and livestock. Security officials have urged the public to stop using motorcycles, as they have become a primary tool for terrorist operations.
This deepening crisis comes as Niger is reviewing its foreign relations. The country is seeing a decrease in Western influence and an expansion of cooperation with Russia, reflecting new geopolitical developments in the region.
Similar attacks in January 2024 also resulted in civilian deaths—a grim reality that underscores the heavy human toll of the war against terrorism in Niger.
