Niger: Deadly attack in Tillabéri region Jan. 22-23

Event

Armed men carried out an attack in the Say department of the Tillabéri region (southwest) overnight January 22-23. Two gendarmes on patrols in the area were killed and seven others injured. It remains unclear if jihadist militants or armed bandits were behind the attack.

Context

Officials placed the Tillabéry and Tahoua regions under a state of emergency in March 2017 due to an increase in attacks by jihadists targeting refugee camps and security forces. The state of emergency is currently set to remain in place until mid-March 2018.

Niger faces a high threat from terrorism, including armed 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

Individuals 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.