Massacre in Karta: Suspected EIGS militants kill 11 civilians shortly after military withdrawal in Niger Republic

Massacre in Karta: Suspected EIGS militants kill 11 civilians shortly after military withdrawal in Niger Republic

By: Zagazola Makama

At least 11 civilians were brutally killed in Karta village, Téra Department of Tillabéri Region, Niger Republic, in a fresh attack allegedly carried out by suspected Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS) militants, shortly after the withdrawal of a military detachment from the area.

Zagazola gathered that the attack occurred on Thursday, July 11, at about 6:00 p.m., barely 15 minutes after Nigerien troops vacated the area.

Sources said the assailants arrived on the same road used by the military convoy during their departure, suggesting a possible overlap or close proximity.

“They arrived just after the soldiers had left. On the same road. They weren’t stopped. They opened fire. They killed. And no one came back,” a local resident said.

No exchange of gunfire reportedly occurred between the soldiers and the attackers. Residents allege that the terrorists passed unhindered, and no security response followed the gunshots that echoed through the village during the massacre.

The victims have been identified as: Seydou Kango, Ali Alhadey, Fataou Oudou, Yacouba Karidjo, Abass Hamadou, Soumana Hamadou Sabbou, Ginda Tondi, Souleymane Yéyio, Mohamed Seydou Abdul and two others of Tara Bango Banda origin, yet to be formally identified.

Tillabéri region has in recent months become a hotspot for jihadist violence, with EIGS fighters regularly launching deadly raids on villages such as Mehana, Fanbita, Kokorou, and Satchirbangou.

The continuous attacks have fueled a deepening distrust among citizens, many of whom now accuse the military-led junta of abandoning them to terrorists.

Despite repeated assurances of improved security by Niger’s ruling military authorities, civilians across the region say they feel unprotected and betrayed.

Tillabéri region sits at the tri-border area of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, where jihadist insurgencies linked to the Islamic State and al-Qaeda have continued to destabilize communities and challenge state authority.

Massacre in Karta: Suspected EIGS militants kill 11 civilians shortly after military withdrawal in Niger Republic