Niger mourns 3 days for 44 killed in mosque attack

• Interior Ministry reports that the attack occurred while worshippers were at a prayer service.
• This “brutal” assault took place in a region near the borders with Burkina Faso and Mali.
• The government pledges to track down those responsible and bring them to justice.
  

NIAMEY: The Nigerien government announced a three-day mourning period following the tragic deaths of 44 civilians due to an attack by the Daesh in the Greater Sahara group in the southwest region of the country.

According to a statement from the interior ministry, the victims were subjected to a “brutal” assault at a mosque located in the Fambita district of Kokorou. The incident, as reported on state television, left another 13 people injured.

The attack occurred in the early afternoon while people were participating in a prayer service at the mosque. “The heavily armed assailants surrounded the mosque and committed their heinous act with extreme cruelty,” the statement revealed, noting that the attackers also set fire to a local market and several homes.

The ministry has vowed to pursue the attackers relentlessly and ensure they face justice for their crimes.

Located near the frontiers with Burkina Faso and Mali, this region has long been a hotspot for militants associated with both the Daesh group and Al-Qaeda.

The military, governed by Niger’s junta, is frequently engaged in combating militants in the area, and civilians are often caught in the crossfire of this violence.

Since July 2023, the ongoing turmoil has resulted in at least 2,400 fatalities in Niger, as reported by ACLED, an organization that tracks armed conflict incidents and their locations.