Residents in western Niger’s Tillabéri region reported that gunmen killed 22 people on Wednesday, most of whom were gathered for a baptism, according to the French press agency AFP. Authorities in Niger confirmed an attack took place but did not provide an official death toll.
Witnesses and local media said the armed assailants, riding motorbikes, opened fire on villagers during the baptism, killing 15 people instantly. The attackers then moved away from the scene and shot dead another seven civilians nearby.
Tillabéri, which borders Mali and Burkina Faso, has long been plagued by violence, with jihadist groups operating actively in the area. Niger’s army has struggled to contain the repeated assaults by these militant factions.
Just last week, several Nigerien soldiers were killed in deadly strikes across the same region. Around 20 soldiers are believed to have lost their lives in at least two separate attacks on 10 September.
