Gunmen on motorbikes attacked a baptism ceremony in Takoubatt village, Niger, killing at least 22 people.
The incident occurred in the troubled Tillaberi region, which borders Burkina Faso and Mali, an area plagued by violent incursions from jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS).
15 people were killed at the baptism ceremony, with seven more fatalities reported on the outskirts of the village.
Local media outlet Elmaestro TV described the incident as a “gruesome death toll of 22 innocent people cowardly killed without reason or justification”.
Human rights campaigner Maikoul Zodi condemned the attack, stating: “Once again, the Tillaberi region has been struck by barbarism, plunging innocent families into mourning and despair”.
Niger’s military leaders, who seized power in a coup two years ago, have struggled to contain jihadist groups in Tillaberi despite a significant army presence.
Around 20 soldiers were killed in the region last week, highlighting the ongoing security challenges.
Human Rights Watch has called on authorities to “do more to protect” civilians, citing the Islamic State group’s brutal attacks on villagers and worshippers.
The Islamic State group has summarily executed over 127 villagers and Muslim worshippers in Tillaberi in five attacks since March.
According to the NGO ACLED, approximately 1,800 people have been killed in attacks across Niger since October 2024, with three-quarters of those deaths occurring in Tillaberi.
The post Gunmen kill 22 civilians who gathered for baptism ceremony in Niger first appeared on Diaspora Digital Media DDM.
