Suspected jihadists have killed 9 travellers, together with a trainer, in an assault in southwestern Niger, close to the border with Burkina Faso, local sources mentioned on Sunday (June 16, 2025).
“A terrorist attack targeted passenger vehicles on Friday June 13, killing nine civilians,” a lecturers’ union mentioned in an announcement. One of its members had been among the many lifeless, it added.
The union mentioned the assault occurred round 10:00 a.m. (0900 GMT) on the street linking Makalondi and Torodi close to the border with Burkina Faso.
A second trainer was wounded and evacuated to Niamey for therapy, mentioned the union, denouncing the assault as a “despicable act”.
A Torodi resident confirmed the incident, saying there had been “civilian casualties”.
Torodi and Makalondi lie lower than 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Niamey, the place the military says it’s coping with “persistent terrorist threats” together with “improvised explosive devices” on roads.
The cities fall inside Tillaberi area’s “three borders” zone — shared by Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali — a hotspot for assaults by Islamic State and Al-Qaeda associates.
Niger’s Army mentioned Saturday night it had “neutralised (killed) 13 terrorists” between June 8 and 14 throughout operations at unlawful gold mining websites in Teguey, a commune in the Tillaberi area.
It additionally mentioned it had killed round 30 members of “criminal cells in training” in the Dosso space (southwest), close to the Nigerian border.
Like its neighbours Burkina Faso and Mali, Niger is dominated by a army junta and faces escalating jihadist assaults.
The three nations have shaped a confederation referred to as the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). Earlier this yr they introduced the creation of a joint 5,000-strong drive, joint army operations.
Published – June 16, 2025 07:39 am IST
