All articles tagged with #jihadist violence
Gunmen on motorbikes killed 22 people, mostly attending a baptism, in an attack in western Niger's Tillabéri region, amid ongoing jihadist violence linked to groups like al-Qaeda and Islamic State, with the region experiencing increased attacks and insecurity.
Niger's junta announced on state television that the U.S. military presence in the country is no longer justified, suspending military cooperation with Washington and criticizing recent U.S. flights over its territory as illegal. The U.S. has restricted military support to Niger since officially designating the July overthrow of the democratically elected president as a coup, and has been concerned about jihadist violence in the region. The junta's statement follows high-level talks with U.S. diplomatic and military officials, and comes after the country ended its security partnership with the European Union and France withdrew its troops.
Niger's junta announced on state television that the US military presence in the country is no longer justified, suspending military cooperation with Washington and claiming US flights over its territory in recent weeks were illegal. The US has invested years and hundreds of millions of dollars in training Niger’s military, but the country has ended its security partnership with the European Union and France has withdrawn its troops from the country. The US had some 650 personnel working in Niger in December, according to a White House report to Congress.
Two deadly attacks in northern Burkina Faso have left 44 people dead. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but officials have blamed "armed terrorist groups". The region is known for jihadist violence, with militant groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State operating in the area. The attacks come as Burkina Faso and its neighbours continue to face protracted jihadist insurgencies since 2013, leading to significant political turbulence in the country.