Terrorist Attack in Niger Leaves 21 Civilians Dead

Armed attackers on motorcycles killed at least 21 civilians in Niger, Reuters reported citing the military. The assault occurred last Thursday near Tera, approximately 175 km west of Niamey, close to the Burkina Faso border. The targeted vehicle was a public transport bus traveling between Bankilare and Tera in the Tillaberi region, described by the army as a “hateful and inhumane act.”

This region has seen escalating violence, with ongoing tit-for-tat attacks between military forces and local armed groups. Following the attack, one soldier was killed when a military vehicle hit an improvised bomb during a reprisal operation.

Niger, along with neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, is at the center of a Sahel insurgency that has resulted in thousands of deaths and millions displaced. Despite promises from military rulers to enhance security, the situation continues to deteriorate, exacerbated by the recent withdrawal of U.S. forces from the region.