Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2025

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • World
  • Mid-East
  • Europe
  • Americas
  • Asia Pacific
  • Africa
  • Syrian Crisis
  • Islamophobia

At least 10,000 have fled amid ongoing extremist attacks in Niger

by French Press Agency - AFP

Niamey May 17, 2021 - 10:54 pm GMT+3
Pick-up vehicles carrying migrants hoping to reach Europe leave Agadez, Niger, on June 1, 2015. (AFP Photo)
Pick-up vehicles carrying migrants hoping to reach Europe leave Agadez, Niger, on June 1, 2015. (AFP Photo)
by French Press Agency - AFP May 17, 2021 10:54 pm

A U.N. agency announced Monday that more than 10,000 people have fled their homes in the west of Niger over the past two days due to attacks local officials blame on extremists.

The report sent to Agence France-Presse (AFP) by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Niamey follows statements over the weekend from local residents and elected officials describing waves of people fleeing from the Anzourou area.

"11,000 people (1,624 households) took refuge in the town of Tillaberi between May 14 and 15, 2021," in the regional capital Tillaberi, OCHA told AFP.

"The movement is continuous," said the agency, with an undetermined number of people fleeing towards the capital Niamey.

A municipal official from the Anzourou area, the target of extremist attacks, told AFP that "more than 10,000 villagers have already fled the zone in two days."

Several other villages were in the process of emptying out, the official added.

OCHA says the displaced come from four of the 24 villages in the Anzourou area, part of the unstable Tillaberi department that stretches across 100,000 square kilometers (40,000 square miles) in Niger's west.

Tillaberi is in the flashpoint "tri-border" region between Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, the site of frequent attacks by extremist groups.

This month so far 20 people have been massacred in the villages, while 13 people were killed in March.

OCHA says the exodus has been provoked by attacks on civilians including "murders, rapes, extortion of goods and livestock" perpetrated by "alleged armed stateless groups operating along the border with Mali."

Five people were killed in the village of Fantio Wednesday as the country celebrated the Ramadan Bayram, also known as Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. One witness said the attack was carried out by "terrorists who came on motorbikes."

A local elected official described another attack Friday evening.

"Armed men entered some of the villages. After taking all of the livestock they gave the residents an ultimatum of three days to get out," he told AFP.

Residents who do not have the means to travel to big cities "have set up camp in deserted areas along the National Route 1," he said.

Images on local television showed children, women and elderly people who had arrived in the city of Tillaberi sheltering in an arena that normally hosts wrestling matches.

An aid organization and local officials distributed supplies and COVID-19 safety kits but OCHA says the displaced lack toilets, water, food, shelter, blankets, clothing and medicine.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: May 18, 2021 12:39 am
    KEYWORDS
    niger terrorism africa united nations
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    In photos: Mexico hit by 7.1 magnitude earthquake, killing 1
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021