Armed attackers kill 21 civilians in western Niger

9/12/2024 19:59

Armed attackers on motorcycles killed at least 21 civilians in the West African nation of Niger, the army said.



The attack last Thursday near the town of Tera, about 175 km (108 miles) west of the capital Niamey and close to the border with Burkina Faso, came at a time of heightened violence in the Sahel, where military rulers have kicked out Western forces and turned to Russia and others for support.



The target was a public transport bus travelling between the town of Bankilare and Tera in the Tillaberi region, the army said in a weekend statement, calling it a "hateful and inhumane act".



Tillaberi region has increasingly been the focus of tit-for-tat attacks between the military and local armed groups.