A devastating terrorist attack on Fambita village in Niger’s Tillabéri region has claimed the lives of 44 civilians, according to the government of Niger Republic.
The assault, attributed to militants of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), occurred on Friday during Ramadan prayers .
Heavily armed assailants surrounded the mosque before launching their attack, massacring innocent civilians and setting fire to the market and homes during their retreat. Thirteen people were also injured, including four in critical condition.
In response to the tragedy, the government has declared a 72-hour national mourning period, with flags flown half-mast across the country.
The Minister of State and Acting Minister of the Interior, Army Corps General Salifou Modi, condemned the attack, calling it a “heinous act” that demonstrates terrorists’ disregard for religious ideals.
The government has vowed to track down the perpetrators, their sponsors, and accomplices to bring them to justice.
This attack comes just two days after the Nigerien military carried out an air-to-ground raid targeting suspected EIGS militants, resulting in the deaths of 45 suspected terrorists.
