Niger said 15 civilians were killed and an unspecified number injured early this week in attacks by “terrorists” targeting villages in the western Tillaberi region, near the border with Burkina Faso.
“In the Mihana area, terrorist elements committed several heinous acts of violence against unarmed civilians, with heavy and tragic casualties: 14 people were killed and many wounded,” the Nigerien army said in a statement, without giving a date. The army also announced the death of one civilian and the wounding of three others in the same area on Tuesday in a “clash” with “terrorists.”
Mehana was among six targeted areas in the Tillaberi region, which borders Niger with Mali and Burkina Faso and is home to Islamic State militants. Terrorists have repeatedly targeted civilians in Mehana, leading to mass displacement.