Niger: Thousands flee Boko Haram in Diffa region

Event

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported on Tuesday, August 1, that thousands of refugees had fled the Diffa region of Niger to Chad in recent weeks out of fear of attacks by Boko Haram. Authorities noted that thousands more may flee should violence continue in the region, joining the over 100,000 Nigerien refugees in the Lake Chad region.

Context

Niger faces a high threat of terrorism, including attacks and abductions. Militant Islamist cells from various Nigerian and Malian terrorist groups - including Boko Haram as well as Al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), and Al-Mourabitoun - are all active in the country.

Advice

Visitors throughout Niger should exercise vigilance when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted by an attack (government buildings, prominent hotels, etc.) and report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities. Many Western governments advise their citizens against all travel to areas located in the north and west of the country, as well as areas along the Nigerian border to the south, due to the high risk of terrorist activity.