NIAMEY, Niger – A brutal escalation of violence by Islamist insurgents in Niger has left hundreds of civilians dead since early 2025, highlighting the country's deepening security crisis following a military coup. Recent months have been marked by a series of mass killings, particularly in the western Tillabéri region, with armed groups targeting worshippers in mosques and ambushing soldiers.

Since March 2025, Islamist insurgents have summarily executed nearly 130 people in a string of attacks, according to reports. One of the most horrific incidents occurred in June, when fighters from the Islamic State's Sahel Province (ISSP) stormed a mosque in the village of Manda during a nighttime sermon, killing more than 70 worshippers. Survivors reported that the attackers surrounded the mosque and opened fire indiscriminately.

This followed a deadly assault in March on a mosque in Fambita, where at least 44 civilians were killed and 13 were injured. The attackers in Fambita also burned the local marketplace and several homes. The violence has continued, with an ambush in the Tillabéri region in September killing at least 14 Nigerien soldiers. Authorities stated the military patrol was lured into a trap after responding to a fake robbery report.

Human rights organizations have voiced grave concern over the sharp increase in civilian-targeted attacks. A report from Human Rights Watch documented that the Islamic State group summarily executed over 127 villagers and worshippers in at least five separate attacks since March. The organization also noted that in some cases, the Nigerien army failed to adequately respond to warnings of impending attacks, raising questions about civilian protection strategies.

The current wave of violence is part of a long-running insurgency that has destabilized Niger and the broader Sahel region. The conflict is primarily concentrated in two areas: the western regions, where violence has spilled over from neighboring Mali, and the southeastern regions, which are affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. Since the military junta seized power in a 2023 coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, fighters from the Islamic State group have killed approximately 1,600 civilians in Niger.

Weak governance and persistent political instability, marked by the 2023 coup, have been cited as key factors contributing to the expansion of violent extremism. The crisis in Niger mirrors a larger regional conflict, with neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali also battling entrenched militant groups.

In response to the deteriorating security situation, the military-led governments of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali have shifted their foreign policy. After severing military ties with former partner France, the three nations formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). In March, the alliance announced its decision to create a joint military force to combat the insurgents operating across their shared borders. The force is intended to be "operational as soon as possible" to confront the growing threat, leaving the region's security in the hands of a new and untested coalition as civilians continue to bear the brunt of the violence.