At least eight people, including five civilians and three Nigerien soldiers, have been killed in a wave of violence across Niger’s conflict-prone regions of Tillabéri and Diffa, according to a military bulletin released on Wednesday.
The army also confirmed the arrest of several suspected militants during counterterrorism operations conducted between April 27 and 30.
On April 28, a group of armed assailants described as “terrorists riding motorcycles” descended on the village of Dibblo in the western Tillabéri region in an apparent cattle theft raid.
As the Defence and Security Forces (FDS) were mobilised to respond, the attackers opened fire indiscriminately while fleeing, killing five civilians—two near the locality of Fambita and three in the neighbouring community of Zoribi.
The violence escalated further on April 29 when a military patrol in the same region was hit by what officials described as a “directed improvised explosive device” (IED).
The blast killed three soldiers and injured three others as their unit advanced along a route to Makalondi.
Security forces launched multiple operations in response, leading to the arrest of several individuals.
On April 29, eight people were detained in Boulel, near the border with Burkina Faso, after exhibiting “suspicious behavior,” the army said.
That same day, two more individuals were apprehended in Abala on suspicion of “collusion with criminal groups.”
In a separate operation in southeastern Niger, four suspected members of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) were captured in Awaridi and Kangouri, both located in the Diffa region.
The military reports that the suspects are believed to be involved in arms trafficking operations that support extremist groups operating around the Lake Chad Basin.
These developments follow a deadly ambush on April 25 in which twelve Nigerien soldiers were killed near Sakoira, also in Tillabéri.
According to the military, the soldiers—part of Operation Almahaou—were attacked by insurgents hiding among civilian camps. Two suspects were arrested during the ensuing pursuit.
The recent incidents underscore the enduring security challenges facing Niger, particularly in regions bordering Mali, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria, where armed groups continue to carry out deadly attacks.
Source: AirInfoAgadez