Deadly gunmen on Monday, September 15, 2025, stormed Takoubatt village in the Tillaberia of Niger Republic near its borders with Burkina Faso and Mali, and killed 22 villagers in western part of the country.
According to the group, “Most of them gathered for a baptism ceremony, local media and security sources confirmed on Tuesday.
The Tillaberi region in Niger is an area plagued by jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
According to a resident who spoke anonymously for security concerns, said the gunmen first opened fire at the baptism venue, killing 15 people on the spot and later targeted the outskirts of the village, where seven more victims were shot dead.
Local broadcaster Elmaestro TV described the killings as a “gruesome death toll of 22 innocent people that were cowardly killed without justification.”
This was as human rights activist, Maikoul Zodi condemned the violence, saying the Tillaberi region had once again been “struck by barbarism, plunging innocent families into mourning and despair.”
Niger Republic’s military government, which seized power in a coup two years ago, has struggled to contain Islamist insurgents despite deploying a heavy security presence in Tillaberi.
Just last week, about 20 soldiers were reported killed in the same region.
Accordingly, Human Rights Watch has tasked the authorities to step up civilian protection, even as it further said that the Islamic State group has summarily executed more than 127 villagers and worshippers in Tillaberi in five separate incidents since March this year.
This was as conflict-tracking organisation ACLED said that an estimated 1,800 people have so far been killed in violent attacks in Niger Republic since October 2024, with three-quarters of the deaths recorded in Tillaberi alone.
Niger, along with neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso—also under military rule—has expelled French and American forces that had been assisting in counter-insurgency operations, citing a shift towards “sovereignist” policies.
…Sourced from Prompt News
