Local official has reported that not less than 20 people have been killed in Western Niger attacks by unidentified gunmen.
Governor of Tillaberi region, Ibrahim Tidjani Katchella said on Sunday that the attacks were carried out by assailants on motorcycles who “pillaged shops” before heading north.
Villages said to be attacked are Gadabo, Zibane Koira-Zeno and Zibane-Tegui which are all under the administration of Anzourou, a commune some 50km (30 miles) from Tillaberi city, near the tri-border region of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali.
United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has warned last week that hardline armed groups in the Sahel are exploiting the coronavirus pandemic to step up attacks and for propaganda purposes, according to documents seen by AFP.
The UN chief urged better coordination among the forces fighting an array of armed groups.
“Terrorist groups are taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to intensify their attacks and to challenge state authority throughout the sub-region,” said Guterres, citing the area straddling Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso as a major concern.
