On Saturday, March 22, a heartbreaking tragedy struck the village of Fambita in the Tillabéri region of Niger Republic. The government has confirmed that 44 innocent people were killed in a terrible attack by the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) militants.
Zagazola Makama, an expert in counter-insurgency, shared the news on his social media account, spreading the sad information.
Earlier reports revealed that the attack took place while people were praying at the mosque during Ramadan, a holy time for Muslims. The attackers, who were heavily armed, surrounded the mosque and launched a terrible assault.
“These terrorists, in an act of extreme cruelty, massacred innocent civilians at prayer before setting fire to the market and homes as they left,” said a statement from the Ministry of Interior, shared on national television.
Sadly, the attack also left 13 people injured, with four of them in critical condition. In response to this terrible loss, the government declared three days of mourning starting on Saturday, March 23. During this time, flags will be flown at half-mast across the country to honor those who lost their lives.
General Salifou Modi, the Acting Minister of the Interior, called the attack “a heinous act” and reminded everyone that it took place on Friday, a special day for Muslims, during the last ten days of Ramadan. He emphasized that the terrorists did not follow any religious values.
The government promised that the people responsible for this violence would be found and held accountable.
This tragedy happened just two days after the Nigerien military carried out a raid on a gold mining site in the region, targeting suspected ISGS militants. That operation resulted in the deaths of 45 militants.
