APA – Niamey (Niger) – The country has been going through an institutional crisis since the seizure of power on July 26, 2023 by officers who criticize the “ousted” regime for its handling of the fight against terrorism.
According to local sources, assailants on several motorbikes sowed terror in several villages in the communes of Dessa and Mehanna, in the Tillaberi region. At least thirty-one (31) people were killed during these raids in this area near the borders with Burkina Faso and Mali, where the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS) is mainly active.
On the same day, a deadly ambush by jihadists targeted a Niger army convoy between Torodi and Boni, in the same area, killing 17 soldiers and wounding 20, according to a statement issued on Thursday by the Ministry of Defense.
These attacks come on top of a series of jihadist raids against military positions and civilians this week in the area, which has been plagued by insecurity since 2015 as a result of armed terrorist groups (GAT). These attacks have intensified in recent days, whereas for some time there had been a certain calm due to the reinforcement of the security forces deployed in the area.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) condemns the attacks and calls on the military to restore constitutional order.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the regional organization (ECOWAS) “strongly” condemned these attacks and called on the military leaders of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), the ruling junta in Niamey, “to restore constitutional order in Niger so that they can focus their attention on security in the country, which has become even more fragile since the attempted coup d’Etat against the democratically elected President,” Mohamed Bazoum .
Niger has been in the throes of a political crisis since 26 July, when a military junta disrupted the constitutional order. According to the President of the CNSP, Brigadier General Abdourahamane Tchiani, one of the reasons for the seizure of power by the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) was “the unabated deterioration in the security situation” as a result of “poor management” of the situation by the former regime.
According to several observers, this situation could benefit armed terrorist groups (GAT), due to the disorganization of the security apparatus with the departure of the main European and American partners, even though the CNSP has undertaken to better coordinate the fight against terrorist groups with neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali, which are facing the same security challenges.
A few days ago, on August 9, 2023, following a jihadist attack on a National Guard position in the same area, the new authorities following the July 26 coup d’Etat, accused the French forces stationed in Niger of “destabilization maneuvers” aimed at creating “security disorder” and “discrediting the CNSP among the population.” Among other things, the CNSP criticized the release by French forces of terrorist leaders arrested in the area who had subsequently planned attacks in the tri-border area. Paris obviously denied these accusations.
AYB/ac/fss/abj/APA