The Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP) has killed three humanitarian workers from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and a Nigerien soldier in an ambush in Niger Republic. The attack occurred on May 28, 2024, in Chettimari, Diffa Province. The information was confirmed by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad region, who shared the details on his X handle. According to Makama, the assailants also seized the vehicle used by the ICRC personnel.
In a separate incident, ISWAP fighters killed two soldiers and a civilian in Tillaberi region on May 29, 2024. This attack, carried out by about 20 militants on motorcycles, took place in Tabala village, approximately 100 kilometers east of Niger’s capital, Niamey. Three of the attackers were killed in the ensuing clash, and authorities are currently pursuing the remaining assailants.
The Tillaberi region, part of the “three borders” area shared by Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, has been a hotspot of violence involving groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Niger has been under military rule since a coup in July 2023, with the new leaders citing the deteriorating security situation as a primary reason for their takeover.
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