Over a Dozen Civilians Killed in Armed Attack Near Burkina Faso Border

More than a dozen civilians were killed and several others injured on Tuesday during an attack by armed men in several villages in western Niger, near the border with Burkina Faso. The attack took place in the commune of Mehanna, according to an announcement by the Nigerien army broadcast on national television on Wednesday evening.

The army’s operations bulletin reported that terrorist elements committed multiple atrocities against defenseless civilians in the villages of Gangania, Amara, Mamassey, Tohi, Tchibi Bero, Tchibi Kaina, and Bandabarey. The tragic toll from the attack includes 14 fatalities, with several other individuals sustaining injuries.

In response, Nigerien forces quickly intervened, neutralizing two of the attackers and destroying a motorcycle used by the assailants. Despite the tragedy, authorities have urged the local population not to succumb to fear and to continue their daily activities with courage.

The town of Mehanna is located in the Téra department of the Tillabéri region, an area that has seen escalating violence in recent years.

Just a day earlier, on July 22, at least 15 Nigerien soldiers were killed in an attack on a patrol in the same department, underscoring the ongoing security challenges in the region.

 

Report by Alhassan Sanusi

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