Niger: Boko Haram militants kill 12 people in Diffa region Aug. 24

Event

Suspected Boko Haram militants killed at least 12 people in an attack on a village in Gueskerou district (Diffa region) on Friday evening (local time), August 23. Officials indicate many of the victims suffered fatal gunshot wounds. 

Further attacks by Boko Haram militants as well as a heightened security presence are expected in the region in the coming weeks.

Context

Niger's Diffa region, which borders Lake Chad, has been subject to recurrent jihadist attacks since 2015. Although the regional counterinsurgency effort against Boko Haram that began in 2015 - led by West African states Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger - has greatly diminished the extent of the group's effective territorial control, Boko Haram maintains the capacity to routinely carry out deadly terrorist attacks. Boko Haram's stronghold is in northeastern Nigeria, where the majority of the group's activities are concentrated. 

Advice

Individuals in Niger are advised to monitor related developments, remain vigilant for militant activity, and limit time in areas deemed particularly likely to be targeted in a terrorist attack (crowded markets, etc.).