Niger’s government declared three days of national mourning on Friday following a brutal attack that left 44 civilians dead in the country’s southwest. The assault was carried out by militants linked to the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), according to AFP.
The attack took place in the Fambita quarter of Kokorou, a rural town near the borders of Burkina Faso and Mali. The heavily armed assailants targeted a mosque during afternoon prayers, surrounding the building before launching their assault with what authorities described as “unusual cruelty.”
According to the interior ministry, 13 others were wounded in the attack. The attackers also set fire to a local market and several homes, further devastating the community.
The government has vowed to track down those responsible and bring them to justice. The affected region has long been plagued by violence from extremist groups affiliated with both the Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda.
Niger’s junta-led military frequently engages in operations against terrorist factions in the area, but civilians often bear the brunt of the conflict. Since July 2023, at least 2,400 people have been killed in Niger due to militant violence, according to data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).
