Niger | October 11, 2023
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October has been a violent month in Niger. First, at the beginning of the month, at least 29 Niger soldiers were killed in an ambush by insurgents near the country's border with Mali, which was the deadliest attack since the army seized power in a coup in July (Reuters, 3 October 2023). Then, as reported by Africa News on 17 October 2023, a further 6 soldiers were killed and 18 injured in a series of clashes in the Lemdou area 50 km to the north-west of Téra. The Nigerien Defence Ministry claimed 31 “terrorists” were killed in the fighting. Finally, on 23 October 2023, Boko Haram fighters attacked a Customs Service outpost at Geidam in Yobe State, 30km from the border with Nigeria. One customs officer was killed (Sahara Reporters, 23 October 2023).
World Watch Research analysts Yonas Dembele comments: “The situation in Niger is exacerbated by political instability, including numerous coups, which have weakened the state's security apparatus and have added another layer of complexity to the already fragile situation. Attacks continue to take place with the apparent objective of weakening the security apparatus still further in order to pave the way for Islamic militants to overrun and take control of the country.”
Yonas Dembele continues: “For Christian communities in Niger, the combined impact of political instability and escalating jihadist violence poses a grave threat. The ideology driving groups like Boko Haram specifically encourages the targeting of Christians as infidels. This creates a climate of fear and disrupts communal life. Particularly in border areas, churches gathering for worship are aware of the serious risks involved.”
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