Thirty-nine people have lost their lives in two attacks in western Niger, near the border with Burkina Faso, according to Niger’s defence ministry.
In a statement released on Saturday, December 14, the ministry condemned the violence, describing the events in the Libiri and Kokorou communities as “barbaric acts.”
“Two horrific tragedies happened in the communities of Libiri and Kokorou, criminals cornered by constant operations by defence and security forces launched attacks on defenceless civilian populations,” the statement partly read.
The assaults, which took place between December 12 and 14, claimed the lives of 21 people in Libiri and 18 in Kokorou, including children.
The ministry explained that the attacks were carried out by armed groups who have been under pressure from continuous military operations in the region. These groups turned their aggression towards civilians, striking vulnerable communities in the Tera border area, a region already grappling with persistent violence from armed fighters.
This area, where Niger borders Mali and Burkina Faso, has long been a refuge for terror groups linked to Islamic State and Al-Qaeda.
These groups have waged an ongoing insurgency against regional governments, causing widespread destruction and displacement. Just days earlier, on December 7, gunmen attacked a goods convoy, killing 21 civilians, according to local sources.
Reports of violence in the region have been difficult to verify. Earlier in the week, international media outlets, including the BBC and RFI, reported that more than 90 soldiers and 40 civilians were killed in another attack in Chatoumane within the same area.
However, Niger’s military leadership dismissed these reports, calling them baseless and part of a deliberate misinformation campaign.
Following the disputed reports, the military government, which took control in a coup in July 2023, announced a three-month suspension of BBC radio broadcasts. This move adds to a growing list of restrictions placed on Western media outlets since the junta assumed power.
