Gunmen kill 22 during baptism ceremony in western Niger

According to the French press agency AFP, residents in the Tillabéri region in western Niger said that gunmen shot dead 22 people, most of which were attending a baptism. Niger's authorities have confirmed that an attack happened, but did not release casualty numbers.

22 civilians were killed in an armed attack by a group of gunmen on motorbikes in western Niger on Wednesday, according to various reports from media and witnesses.

The attackers opened fire on villagers attending a baptism ceremony, and killed 15 people there. They then left the vicinity and killed another seven civilians close by.

The region of Tillabéri in western Niger, bordering on Mali and Burkina Faso, is familiar with armed violence. Jihadist groups in particular are very active in the area, and the armed forces of Niger have been struggling to contain attacks from diverse jihadist movements.

Last week, several soldiers from the Nigerien army were killed in attacks, which also took place in the Tillabéri region. It is estimated that around twenty soldiers died in at least two separate attacks on 10 September.

A recent Human Rights Watch (HRW) report drew attention to the violence in Tillabéri and called upon authorities to do more to protect civilians in the region.