Gunmen riding motorbikes have killed at least 22 villagers in western Niger Republic, most of them attending a baptism ceremony, according to local media and community sources on Tuesday.
The attack occurred on Monday in Takoubatt village, Tillaberi region, an area bordering Burkina Faso and Mali that has suffered repeated assaults by jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS).
A resident told AFP that 15 people were shot dead during the baptism, while the assailants later killed seven more on the village outskirts.
Local outlet Elmaestro TV described the incident as a “gruesome death toll of 22 innocent people cowardly killed without reason or justification.”
Condemning the killings, Nigerien human rights activist Maikoul Zodi said on social media: “Once again, the Tillaberi region has been struck by barbarism, plunging innocent families into mourning and despair.”
