Authorities in Niger have declared a curfew in the volatile Tillaberi region following a prison break at the heavily fortified Koutoukale prison, known for holding insurgents.
The incident took place on Thursday, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) north-west of the capital, Niamey, according to the interior ministry.
This is the third escape attempt at Koutoukale prison, with previous attempts in 2016 and 2019 being thwarted. Niger’s armed forces, already stretched by Insurgent attacks and the need to protect the junta that came to power in last year’s coup, now face additional challenges.
The interior ministry did not specify the number of prisoners who escaped but indicated that captured Islamist fighters from groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State are among them. In response, an overnight curfew has been imposed throughout the Tillaberi region, restricting all movement of pedestrians, bicycles, and motor vehicles. Authorities have also called for heightened vigilance.
Niger, along with its neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso, all under military rule, has been struggling to contain increasing insurgent attacks. Just this Monday, at least 14 soldiers were killed, 11 wounded, and 24 reported missing in an ambush by suspected insurgent groups linked to al-Qaeda in the Tillaberi region, between the villages of Ila Fari and Djangore.
These countries have expelled French soldiers who were aiding in the fight against jihadist groups and have sought military assistance from Russia instead. The ongoing insurgencies have resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of over three million people, creating a deep humanitarian crisis.
