Niamey: An Indian national was killed and another abducted in what India’s embassy described as a terrorist attack in southwestern Niger, while a third remains missing, according to a statement from the embassy.
According to Nam News Network, local sources reported that unidentified armed attackers ambushed a Nigerien army unit that was providing security at a construction site for an electrical line in the Dosso region. This area is located around 100 kilometers from the capital, Niamey. The embassy in Niamey has urged Indian nationals in Niger to exercise caution and has communicated with the employer and families of the victims, as well as the Nigerian government, to assist in the repatriation of the deceased individual’s remains.
The Dosso region shares its borders with Nigeria and Benin, areas frequently targeted by attacks on civilians, the military, and infrastructure like the major oil pipeline transporting crude from Niger to Benin. These attacks are typically attributed to terrorists or bandits by the authorities. Dosso is also near Tillaberi, a western town close to the borders of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, an area known to harbor jihadist groups.
Official Indian sources noted that five Indian technicians were kidnapped in an April 25 attack just north of the nearby town of Sakoira, which resulted in the death of twelve Nigerien soldiers. Earlier this month, three Indian nationals working in Mali were also kidnapped from a cement factory in the western part of the country.