Gunmen riding motorbikes have killed 22 people, most of them gathered for a baptism ceremony, in a deadly attack on a village in Niger’s western Tillabéri region, near the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso.
A resident told reporters that 15 people were gunned down during the baptism before the attackers moved to another area, killing seven more.
The Tillabéri region has become one of the deadliest hotspots in the world, recording more terror-related deaths than any other region combined.
Just last week, Human Rights Watch reported that jihadist groups had stepped up their assaults since March, killing more than 127 villagers and Muslim worshippers. The watchdog said dozens of homes were also looted and set ablaze.
It further criticized authorities for failing to respond adequately to repeated warnings and for ignoring villagers’ desperate calls for protection.
