At least 70 killed in suspected militant assaults in Niger – safety sources

At least 70 civilians had been killed in simultaneous assaults on two villages by suspected Islamist militants in Niger, close to the border zone with Mali, safety sources mentioned on Saturday.
About 49 villagers had been killed and 17 individuals wounded within the village of Tchombangou, mentioned one of many safety sources, who requested anonymity.
A second supply, a senior official in Niger’s inside ministry who additionally spoke on situation of anonymity, mentioned that round 30 different villagers had been killed within the village of Zaroumdareye.
Niger’s authorities was not instantly accessible to remark.
The West African nation has beforehand suffered assaults by Islamist militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State. Attacks close to the western border with Mali and Burkina Faso, and the southeastern border with Nigeria, killed a whole lot of individuals final 12 months.