Niger’s government has announced three days of national mourning following the mass killing of 44 civilians in an attack on a mosque in the southwestern town of Kokorou. Niger has said that the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), a terrorist group that operates in the area, is responsible for the attack.
The attack took place on a Friday afternoon, during Friday prayers at a mosque in Kokorou’s Fambita neighborhood. Armed terrorists surrounded the mosque and opened fire, killing worshippers and injuring 13 more, according to the interior ministry. They did not just stop there; they also torched homes and a nearby market before fleeing. This area is close to Niger’s borders with Burkina Faso and Mali, where groups like ISGS and Al-Qaeda have been launching frequent attacks for years.
Niger’s military led government has said that it will find those responsible and punish them. Civilians in the region often bear the brunt of the clashes between security forces and militants. Since July 2023, the toll has been at least 2,400 lives lost due to this violence, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).
This new attack is just one of many, showing just how insecure the Sahel region of West Africa really is. Armed groups are capitalizing on weak governance and poverty to grow their power. Even with support from neighboring countries, Niger’s military government is having a tough time keeping the violence in check. There is little hope for any respite from these attacks in the near future.