Tillabéri Region, Niger – Islamist fighters linked to the Islamic State in the Sahel (IS Sahel) have killed 30 civilians, including four children and five captured combatants in two separate attacks in western Niger since , Human Rights Watch reported today. The attacks, which took place in the Tillabéri region, a long-standing focal point of militant activity and government counterinsurgency operations, have been condemned as unlawful and potential war crimes.
The first attack occurred on in the village of Bossieye, where IS Sahel fighters executed 31 men and boys. According to witnesses, the killings were in retaliation for the villagers’ refusal to pay the zakat, an Islamic tax imposed by the group, and for their decision to join pro-government militias. A 45-year-old resident recounted how the village chief had encouraged residents to cease payments to the militants and instead support the local militia, a decision he warned could provoke a response. “That day, I stood up and told the village chief to be careful… And the elephant came,” the resident said, using a local metaphor for impending danger.
The second attack took place on in Alfaga Daweyzé Koira village. Fighters targeted a man accused of collaborating with the military and recruiting for the local militia. When they failed to locate him in the market, they proceeded to his home, where a crowd had gathered to defend him. A 35-year-old man who narrowly escaped the attack stated that the fighters opened fire on the crowd, killing four men and wounding five others.
Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior Sahel researcher at Human Rights Watch, described the attacks as a brutal targeting of civilians. “IS Sahel is brutally targeting civilians in the Tillabéri region,” she said. “The recent killings fit a disturbing pattern of IS Sahel’s atrocities against civilians and show complete disregard for human life.”
Human Rights Watch conducted remote interviews with 13 individuals between and , including six witnesses to the attacks, seven local activists, journalists, and community leaders. A letter outlining the findings was sent to the junta’s cabinet on , but no response was received.
While IS Sahel has not claimed responsibility for the attacks, witnesses identified the assailants as IS Sahel fighters based on their distinctive turbans with red bands, which have been observed in previous attacks. In Bossieye, the militants arrived on six motorbikes in late 2025, demanding the zakat. When the village chief resisted, the group threatened retaliation.
Following the attack on Bossieye, Nigerien forces, participating in “Operation Borkono,” a counterinsurgency campaign launched in , arrived in the village on alongside local militiamen. They secured the area and allowed villagers to bury the victims. Witnesses reported finding 31 bodies near the mosque, many riddled with bullets. “The attackers had really sprayed them with bullets,” said a 42-year-old man from a nearby village who assisted with the burial. “Some were hit in the head, feet, legs, back.”
Residents compiled a list identifying 27 men, aged 19 to 71, and four children, aged 15 to 17, among the deceased. In Alfaga Daweyzé Koira, the victims were identified as men aged 23, 25, 34, and 43. The wounded ranged in age from 34 to 60.
Niger has been under military rule since , when officers led by Brigadier General Abdourahamane Tiani overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum. The junta pledged to address the Islamist insurgency, launching counterinsurgency operations and supporting the formation of civilian defense initiatives. However, these efforts have raised concerns about potential abuses by both state forces and allied militias.
According to data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) project, the Tillabéri region experienced the highest number of civilian fatalities from attacks in the central Sahel in . IS Sahel was responsible for the majority of these deaths, followed by Nigerien security forces and the Al Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM).
All parties involved in the conflict are bound by Common Article 3 of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and customary international humanitarian law, which prohibit attacks on civilians, mistreatment of prisoners, looting, and the destruction of civilian property. Violations of these laws may constitute war crimes, and the Niger government has a responsibility to investigate and prosecute alleged offenses.
“IS Sahel’s unabated atrocities against civilians are deeply alarming,” Allegrozzi added. “Niger’s military authorities should urgently prioritize the protection of civilians, bring those responsible for abuses to account, and ensure that victims and their families receive adequate support.”
