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49 Killed in Niger Armed Attack

Agence France-Presse

   Five civilians, four soldiers and 40 armed attackers were killed Sunday
   in a clash in Niger's restive southwest region near the border with
   Mali, the government said.

   Around 100 heavily armed"terrorists"riding motorcycles attacked
   theTchomaBangou village, striking around 3 p.m.Sunday, Niger's Ministry
   ofDefensesaid in a statement read on public television that did not
   identify who it suspected was behind the latest deadly incident.

   The"prompt and vigorous reaction"by theDefense and Security Forces"made
   it possible to repel the attack and inflict heavy losses on the
   enemy,"the ministry said, adding that its soldiers had seized
   motorcycles and a cache of weapons, including AK47s and machine guns,
   from the assailants.

   TchomaBangouis located intheTillaberiregion, bordering Mali and Burkina
   Faso, an area known as"the three borders"that has been regularly
   targeted by jihadist groups.

   Tillaberihas been under a state of emergency since 2017. The
   authorities have banned motorbike traffic night and day for a year and
   ordered the closure of certain markets suspected of
   supplying"terrorists."

   One of the poorest countries in the world, Niger has for years battled
   jihadist insurgencies on its southwestern flank with Mali, as well as
   Boko Haram on its southeastern border with Nigeria. The repeated
   attacks have claimed hundreds of lives and forced thousands to flee
   theirhomes.

   In January, 70 civilians were killed bygunmeninTchomaBangou and 30 in
   theneighboringvillage ofZaroumadareye.

   Last month, 19 people were killed in villages in the same commune,
   according to officials.

   According to United Nations estimates, there are more than 300,000
   internally displaced people in Niger, many of whom fled terrorist
   violence that has escalated since 2015.

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