Tragedy Strikes: 44 Dead in Jihadi Attack on Niger Village

A jihadi group attacked a village in western Niger, killing 44 civilians and injuring 13. The attack, attributed to the Islamic State in the Great Sahara, occurred during Friday prayers. Niger and neighboring countries have been battling insurgencies for years, with recent military coups intensifying the situation.

An attack by a jihadi group on a village in western Niger has resulted in the tragic death of 44 civilians, as reported by the country's Interior Ministry.

The attack unfolded on Friday afternoon in the village of Fambita, located in Kokorou's rural commune near the border shared with Mali and Burkina Faso. The Interior Ministry attributed the violence to the Islamic State in the Great Sahara (EIGS).

A statement from the ministry described the assault, noting that it began around 2 PM as Muslim worshippers were deep in Friday prayers when terrorists, armed heavily, encircled the mosque to perpetrate a massacre of brutal ferocity. In addition to the attack, the gunmen set fire to a market and several houses before withdrawing.

(With inputs from agencies.)