At least 44 civilians were killed in a brutal attack by militants from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, ISGS, in Fambita, a village in Niger’s volatile Tillabéri region.
Tillabéri, which borders Mali and Burkina Faso, has been a hotspot for jihadist activity, with ISGS and al-Qaida-affiliated groups frequently launching attacks on both military and civilian targets.
This was made known by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert focused on the Lake Chad region, in a post on his X handle.
Makama said intelligence sources told him that the assault occurred around 2 p.m. during Friday prayers.
According to the report, the heavily armed gunmen had stormed the village mosque and opened fire indiscriminately.
The security expert stated that witnesses described the attack as a “massacre of rare cruelty,” with the militants executing villagers before setting fire to the local market and several homes.
“In addition to the fatalities, 13 people sustained severe injuries and were rushed to medical facilities for treatment. The attack has sent shock waves through the community, with many residents fleeing the area in fear of further violence,” Makama said.
The security expert noted that no group has formally claimed responsibility for the attack.
However, authorities have pointed to ISGS, which has intensified its operations in the area in recent months.
