Niger: Militants kill at least 40 in attack on villages in Tillia, Tahoua, March 21

Event

Unidentified militants killed at least 40 people during attacks on the villages of Akifakif, Bakorat, and Inatazayene in the Tillia area of Tahoua region, March 21. Officials have confirmed the incidents and have also stated that security forces have clashed with assailants in the area following the attacks. No group has as yet claimed responsibility for the attacks; however, al-Qaeda-affiliated and Islamic State militants frequently target settlements in the Niger-Mali border area.

Context

This is the latest of several high-fatality incidents in the border area in 2021. Militants killed at least 58 people during an attack on travelers in the vicinity of Banibangou, Tillaberi Region, March 15. More than 100 people were also killed in an attack on the villages of Tchombangou and Zaroumdareye near Niger's border with Mali Jan. 2. The incidents highlight the severe threat from militant violence in the area, and further attacks are almost certain.

Advice

Adhere to all directives issued by the authorities if operating in the incident area. Monitor for updates on further violence and information on route and destination security, as well as road conditions, before conducting ground movements in affected areas in the coming days.