Gunmen attack church, fire shot, kill husband and wife in Niger

A Niger church attack left a couple dead in south-west Niger this week after gunmen stormed a church and fired shots, local sources said on Friday.

The Niger church attack happened in the Dosso region, an area affected by years of militant violence involving groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

Conflict analysts say the Niger church attack reflects wider insecurity in the Sahel, where civilians and worship places increasingly face deadly threats.

Attack sparks panic during church service

Residents said the Niger church attack took place late on Wednesday night in Mailo village while Christians were attending a church service.

“The attack happened in Mailo village at around 11:00 pm on Wednesday night. Christians were attending mass in the church when armed individuals came in and fired into the air. There was panic,” a local told AFP.

The source, who requested anonymity, said a man and his wife tried to escape the Niger church attack by hiding in their home.

“A man and his wife ran and hid in their house but (the assailants) followed them and they were killed.”

Villagers flee as attackers steal cattle

Another resident said the Niger church attack forced several worshippers to flee to nearby villages or hide in the surrounding bush.

He added that the attackers escaped with cattle after the Niger church attack, worsening fear among residents.

The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project said nearly 2,000 people have died from violent incidents in Niger this year.

Despite the Niger church attack, relations between Christians and Muslims in Niger are generally peaceful.

However, suspected jihadists were blamed for earlier church attacks in Tillaberi between 2018 and 2021.

The same region also recorded the killing of 111 Muslim worshippers earlier this year.