Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, strongly condemned a recent attack in the villages of Tchamo-Bangou and Zaroumdareye in the Tillabéri region of Niger. It has been reported that on 2 January 2021, suspected Islamist militants attacked the villages, leaving 100 dead and dozens injured. The Tillabéri region of Niger has faced numerous deadly jihadi attacks in recent years; however, the attack on Tchamo-Bangou and Zaroumdareye have been described as one of the deadliest in the country.
According to local sources, several armed motorcyclists attacked the two villages, killing 70 people in Tchamo-Bangou and 30 in Zaroumdareye. At least 75 people are also said to have been wounded. Moreover, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), thousands of survivors were forced to flee the region on foot, increasing the number of displaced persons trying to escape violence in the area. No organization has yet to claim responsibility for the attack; however, Niger has seen a rise in killings between rival ethnic groups incited by jihadi violence. For example, in December of 2020, 28 people were killed and hundreds more wounded in an attack claimed by Boko Haram. Over the past several years, Niger has been involved in a wider West African security crisis. Islamic militant groups became increasingly active in the region of Tillabéri, with jihadi groups being responsible for many deadly attacks in the area and with Boko Haram and criminal gangs controlling the south of the country.
The Secretary-General issued a statement condemning the heinous act and trusted that the Nigerien authorities would identify and bring to justice the perpetrators. Mr. Guterres also reaffirmed the United Nations’ support to the government and people of Niger. Similarly, the General Assembly President, Volkan Bozkir, denounced the attacks and expressed his condolences to the people of Niger.
To read more, visit:
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/04/africa/niger-village-attack-100-dead-intl/index.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-55497274
Author: Christina Michael, Editor Andrew Goodell
