The Nigerien government has declared three days of national mourning in tribute to the victims of a jihadist attack on a mosque in Niamey, which claimed the lives of at least 40 worshippers during Friday prayers.
Following the attack, assailants set fire to the local market and several homes, further increasing the devastation.
Friday’s incident is part of an ongoing wave of jihadist violence that has plagued the Sahel for over a decade.
Armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have intensified their attacks, exploiting the region’s political and security instability.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Niamey and the Chadian government have condemned the attack, reaffirming their support for the people and government of Niger.
The Islamic State in the Sahel (ISIS-Sahel), formerly known as the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), has been active in Niger since 2016 and has carried out several major attacks, including the 2017 Tongo Tongo ambush that killed four U.S. soldiers.