An escalation of violence in Niger’s western Tillabéri region has left more than 127 civilians dead in five separate attacks by Islamic State in the Sahel Province (IS Sahel), according to Human Rights Watch. Witness accounts describe massacres in mosques, the burning of villages, and systematic executions carried out between March and June 2025. Despite prior warnings and villagers’ pleas for protection, Niger’s army repeatedly failed to intervene, deepening fears over the junta’s ability—and willingness—to safeguard civilians two years after seizing power.

Massacres Inside Mosques

In Manda village, IS Sahel fighters stormed a mosque at dawn prayers on June 21, killing more than 70 worshippers, including children and women. Survivors recalled indiscriminate gunfire as residents fled or hid. Earlier, on March 21, attackers stormed Fambita during afternoon prayers, killing at least 46 and injuring 12. “There were bodies everywhere, one on top of the other,” a 77-year-old woman said. Both villages were later looted and set ablaze.

Targeting Villages and Chiefs

Smaller hamlets such as Dani Fari, Abarkaize, and Ezzak were also attacked. In Dani Fari, seven residents were shot dead and 12 homes burned; villagers said soldiers arrived only after the massacre. In Abarkaize, the village chief was executed for refusing to collect zakat for fighters, and five men were later found with their throats slit. In Ezzak, six men were killed and nine homes torched, with survivors accusing soldiers of extortion at checkpoints.

Junta’s Security Failures

The National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, justified its 2023 coup by promising improved security. Instead, IS-linked killings have surged, with nearly 1,600 civilians killed since, according to conflict data monitors. “Civilians threatened by Islamist armed groups are calling on Niger’s junta to provide greater protection,” said Human Rights Watch researcher Ilaria Allegrozzi. Rights groups warn that deploying civilian militias under the “Shields of the Homeland” initiative risks fueling further abuses.

International Law and Calls for Justice

Under the Geneva Conventions, attacks on civilians and religious sites constitute war crimes. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the massacres as “stark violations” and called for impartial investigations. Human Rights Watch urged Niger’s government to prosecute perpetrators and overhaul its civilian protection strategies to prevent further atrocities.