More than 30 civilians, including women and children, have been killed in two separate attacks by suspected jihadists in western Niger’s borderlands, the country’s defence ministry reported on Sunday.
The assaults targeted the communities of Kokorou and Libiri, areas within a region plagued by insurgent violence. The ministry did not specify the exact dates of the attacks.
Niger, alongside its Sahel region neighbors Mali and Burkina Faso, continues to battle a growing insurgency that began in 2012, when al Qaeda-linked fighters first gained control of parts of Mali.
The region remains a hotspot for extremist activity, with devastating impacts on civilian populations.
Efforts to contain the violence have faced significant challenges as the insurgency expands across the Sahel.