ISIS affiliated Jihadi terror group Boko Haram has killed at least 27 people in southeastern Niger as per local media reports. The armed attack was carried out in the early hours of Sunday in the village of Toumour in the Diffa region as per reports. Nearly 800 homes, workplaces, central market along with vehicles were also destroyed, reports Anadolu news agency.
The attack happened as Niger was holding elections to its local bodies. The local elections will be followed by the general and Presidential elections a few weeks later. The dastardly attack has put the security forces on high alert, especially in the region bordering Nigeria where Boko Haram has a base.
Officials said that nearly 70 attackers arrived at Toumour on foot after swimming across Lake Chad. The attack which lasted about three hours has destroyed the village almost entirely. While some victims died on the spot, many died later due to bullet injuries. Many were grievously injured in the fire set by the terrorists.
Boko Haram had attacked the Diffa region on Friday, killing two people. Diffa is located on the border with Nigeria and has been on the target of Boko Haram since February 2015. More than 20,000 people in the country have died in attacks carried out by Boko Haram since 2009, which have also displaced more than 2 million people.
On November 29, at least 110 farm workers were killed in northeast Nigeria which the authorities blamed on the Islamic Jihadi organisations Boko Haram and IS-affiliated ISWAP. UN had said this was the deadliest attack on civilians this year by the Jihadi group.