Two days of mourning for 70 killed in Niger terrorist attack

05 November, 2021 06:16

Two days of mourning for 70 killed in Niger terrorist attack

Nigerien soldiers wait for instructions before attacking a enemy command and control node, during training at Camp Po, Burkina Faso, on Feb. 20, 2019, during Flintlock 19. Flintlock is an annual special operations and State Department exercise involving more than 2,000 soldiers, airmen, naval and police forces from more than 30 nations. Lessons learned at Flintlock strengthen global security institutions, promote multinational sharing of information, and develop interoperability among western and partner nations in North and West Africa. (Army photo by Richard Bumgardner)

Niger’s government on Thursday declared two days of national mourning after 69 people, including a mayor, were killed in a “terrorist attack” in the country’s southwest.

The attack on Tuesday targeted a delegation led by the mayor of Banibangou in the Tillaberi region near the Malian border, the government said in a statement.

Fifteen people survived, several were wounded, and a dozen are missing, it said.

Following the tragedy, the government declared a national period of mourning of 48 hours from Friday.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

But earlier, Interior Minister Alkache Alhada told state television that a search operation was underway.

In August, militants attacked in the same area in which 37 people were killed.

Last month, ten people were killed when militants attacked a mosque in Banibangou during prayer time.

The attacks targeting civilians and the army are blamed on ISIS and an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group.

Since the beginning of the year, more than 500 deaths have been recorded and thousands displaced fleeing the violence led by terrorist groups.

According to the UN, the Tillaberi region is facing a major food crisis, with nearly 600,000 people facing food insecurity due to insecurity and recurrent attacks by armed groups targeting farmers and civilians.