Eight people killed by armed motorcyclists in Niger

Eight people have been killed by armed men on motorbikes near the town of Kouré in Niger.

The attack took place around 11:30 am 6 km east of Kouré.

Six of them were French tourists and the other two were a Nigerien tour guide and driver.

The deaths were confirmed by Tidjani Ibrahim Katiella, governor of Tillabéri.

Tillabéri is a relatively unstable area, located in the shared border area between Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali.

The motorcyclists are believed to have been waiting for the tourists.

The area in which the deaths occurred is home to the last remaining herds of West African giraffes.