Niamey, Niger – Nigerien authorities are searching for extremist militants following a deadly attack on a village in the western Tillaberi region. The army said on Wednesday that “terrorists” killed seven civilians during a raid on Dosso Kouregou village earlier this week.
The attackers, who arrived on motorbikes, stole cattle from the village before fleeing. An army statement condemned the attack and vowed to find the perpetrators. “Operations are ongoing to hunt down and neutralize those responsible,” the statement declared.
This attack comes just weeks after a similar incident in the region. Armed militants killed 20 soldiers in the nearby town of Kokorou on June 25th, prompting a strong military response.
Dosso Kouregou is located near the border zone with Mali and Burkina Faso, a known haven for jihadist groups affiliated with the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda.
Despite suffering losses, the Nigerien army maintains it is making progress against the extremists. The military claims to have killed 13 “terrorists” and apprehended 29 others in the Tillaberi region prior to the Dosso Kouregou attack.
