At least 40 people were killed when several villages in Niger’s Tahoua region near the border with Mali were attacked by a group of armed assailants.
According to the Spokesperson of the country Abdoulraman Zakaria, soldiers were sent to the region and fought the attackers.
It is still unknown who was behind the attack. As there are many armed groups active in Niger and in the neighboring Sahel countries. Some groups are linked to the Islamic State terror group while some are linked to Al Qaeda.
There have been repeated attacks in the Mali border region.
According to the government, at least 58 people were killed in an attack on market traders in the region of Tillaberi about a week ago.
There have been demonstrations in Niger after the recent presidential election.
Former Foreign Minister Mohamed Bazoum, a close ally of outgoing President Mahamadou Issoufou was declared the winner of the elections by the electoral commission with almost 56 percent of the vote.
However Former President and opposition candidate Mahamane Ousmane slammed the result as fraudulent and he also claimed victory.
The Constitutional Court confirmed Bazoum’s victory on Sunday.
