Niger: Deadly attack in Tillabéri region March 12

Event

Unidentified armed men attacked a gendarmerie outpost in Goubé (Tillabéri region) on Monday, March 12. Three gendarmes were reportedly killed in the attack, and one more was injured. According to local sources, the assailants fled after the arrival of reinforcements. It remains unclear if jihadist militants 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-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.