At least 22 civilians were shot dead by armed assailants on motorbikes during a baptism ceremony in Takoubatt village, located in Niger’s western Tillabéri region. The attackers first targeted the ceremony, killing approximately 15 people, then moved to the outskirts of the community where they shot and killed another seven individuals.
The Tillabéri region has seen repeated attacks by jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. Nigerien authorities have struggled to maintain stable security across the volatile border areas that adjoin Burkina Faso and Mali. Local security forces and residents say the attack has sent waves of fear through nearby villages.
Human rights organizations—including Human Rights Watch—have called on Niger’s government to step up measures to protect civilians and prevent further massacres. Niger’s Army, meanwhile, has faced difficult terrain in both geography and logistics when trying to counter insurgent incursions in such remote areas. The event adds to the growing tally of civilian lives lost amid the broader Sahel security crisis.
