By Faith Mwende
Niger’s government has declared three days of national mourning after 44 civilians were brutally killed in a terrorist attack in the country’s southwest.
The attack, carried out by Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) militants, targeted a mosque in the Fambita quarter of Kokorou, according to a statement from the Interior Ministry broadcast on state television. Another 13 people were wounded in the massacre.
“The heavily armed terrorists surrounded the mosque to carry out their massacre with unusual cruelty,” the ministry said, describing the attack as “savage.” The statement also revealed that the attackers set fire to a local market and homes.
Authorities have vowed to track down those responsible and bring them to justice.
The attack took place near Niger’s borders with Burkina Faso and Mali, a region where jihadist groups affiliated with the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda have been active for years.
Niger’s military junta has been engaged in ongoing battles with jihadists, but civilians remain highly vulnerable to the violence.
Since July 2023, at least 2,400 people have been killed in Niger due to conflict, according to ACLED, a non-governmental organization that tracks armed violence.
