Armed attackers kill 21 civilians in western Niger, army says

Armed attackers on motorcycles killed at least 21 civilians in the West African nation of Niger, the army said.

The attack last Thursday near the town of Tera, about 175 km (108 miles) west of the capital Niamey and close to the border with Burkina Faso, came at a time of heightened violence in the Sahel, where military rulers have kicked out Western forces and turned to Russia and others for support.

The target was a public transport bus travelling between the town of Bankilare and Tera in the Tillaberi region, the army said in a weekend statement, calling it a "hateful and inhumane act".

Tillaberi region has increasingly been the focus of tit-for-tat attacks between the military and local armed groups.

The army said one of its troops had been killed in a reprisal attack on Friday when a military vehicle struck an improvised bomb.

Neighbours Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are at the heart of the Sahel insurgency that has killed thousands and displaced millions more. All are led by military governments that seized power in a string of coups that started in 2020.

The military rulers have promised to bring greater safety to the population, but security has continued to worsen.

Niger used to be an important partner in the U.S. fight against insurgents in the Sahel region but this year Niamey ordered the U.S. to withdraw, leaving Washington without a military foothold in the Sahel.