Nigerien soldiers (illustration).

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ERIC DESSONS / JDD

It is one of the worst massacres of civilians in Niger, a country regularly targeted by jihadist groups.

One hundred people were killed there on Saturday, between the two rounds of the presidential election, in the attack on two villages in the west.

Prime Minister Brigi Rafini, who visited the site on Sunday, deplored "a disastrous record", "a horrible situation", speaking of "70" dead in Tchoma Bangou and "about thirty" in Zaroumadareye.

An attack not yet claimed

The Prime Minister thus confirmed the death toll of 100 in total given previously by Almou Hassane, the mayor of Tondikiwindi, a municipality which administers the two villages.

He also reported "25 injured".

The double attack, which has not been claimed, was perpetrated "by terrorists who came aboard a hundred motorcycles".

To attack the two villages, 7 kilometers apart, the attackers "split into two columns: while one attacked Zaroumadareye, the other attacked Tchoma Bangou", explained the mayor.

The two villages are located about 120 kilometers north of the capital Niamey, in the border region of Mali and Burkina Faso.

A "cowardly and barbaric attack"

Accompanied by the Interior Ministers, Alkache Alhada, Defense Issoufou Katambé, and the Governor of Tillabéri Tidjani Ibrahim Katiella, the Prime Minister promised "investigations so that these crimes are not left unpunished".

He also affirmed that "the government will very soon take measures to ensure that the populations of these villages are secured under the best conditions".

According to television, the authorities thus promised the installation of "a military company" as part of the Nigerian anti-jihadist operation "Almahaou" (whirlwind in local language) "to secure all the threatened villages" in the area.

President Mahamadou Issoufou will lead an exceptional National Security Council on Monday.

He also shared in a tweet on Sunday his "most moved condolences to the populations of Tchombangou and Zaroumdareye, following the cowardly and barbaric attack on their villages".

On behalf of the Nigerien people and on my own behalf, I would like to send our deepest condolences to the populations of Tchombangou and Zaroumdareye, following the cowardly and barbaric attack on their village.

May the souls of the missing rest in peace and speedy recovery to the wounded.

- Issoufou Mahamadou (@IssoufouMhm) January 3, 2021

According to a senior official in the Tillabéri region, it was committed around noon, at the same time as the proclamation of the results of the first round of the presidential election on December 27, largely leading (39.33%) to the candidate of the ruling party Mohamed Bazoum.

This former Minister of the Interior has promised to step up the fight against jihadist groups.

In a video, Mohamed Bazoum said he had "pious thoughts" for the populations affected by this "drama [which] reminds us that terrorist groups constitute a serious threat to cohesion within our communities and a danger to no other comparable" .

Niger organized a series of elections in December, first municipal and regional on December 13, then presidential and legislative combined on December 27.

The second round of the presidential election is due to take place on February 20.

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