By Oisin Sweeney • Published: 03 Jan 2021 • 19:59
The attack occurred as an anti-jihadist Presidential candidate was announced as projected election winner - Image Source: Twitter
ARMED MILITANTS have massacred roughly 100 villagers in Niger as the West African country’s presidential election results were announced
The brutal attack on two villages in the west of Niger on Saturday (January 2nd) is the latest in a series of massacres perpetrated by jihadist militants in the African country’s troubled Tilaberi region.
Almou Hassan, a local politician who administrates both communities, told AFP the villages of Tchoma Bangou and Zaroumadareye were attacked by “terrorists who came riding about 100 motorcycles.” Hassan said that many of the 75 other victims, who were wounded, have been rushed to the capital Niamey for treatment which is 120 kilometres away.
The attacks reportedly occurred as election results revealed that ruling party candidate and former minister Mohamed Bazoum, who has vowed to take severe action against jihadists, had won the first round of Niger’s presidential vote.
The two targetted villages are in the vast and unstable Tillaberi region, which is located in the “tri-border” area where Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso converge. The area has suffered jihadist assaults for years, with four thousand people across the three nations killed in 2019 according to the UN.
Last January, officials in the Tillaberi region banned the use of motorcycles in an attempt to prevent attacks by violent jihadists using the vehicles.
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Oisin is an Irish writer based in Seville, the sunny capital of Andalucia. After starting his working life as a bookseller, he moved into journalism and cut his teeth as a reporter at one of Ireland's biggest news websites. Since joining Euro Weekly News in November, he has enjoyed covering the latest stories from Seville, Spain and further afield - with special interests in crime, cybersecurity, and European politics. Anyone who can pronounce his name first try gets a free cerveza...
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