Gunmen kill couple during church attack in Niger

A couple were killed in south-west Niger after gunmen stormed a church during a late-night service, triggering panic among worshippers, local sources told AFP on Friday.

The attack occurred on Wednesday night in Mailo village, located in Niger’s Dosso region, where armed men reportedly entered a church during mass and fired shots into the air.

A local resident, who requested anonymity, said the shooting caused worshippers to flee in different directions.

“The attack happened around 11:00 pm while Christians were attending mass. Armed individuals entered the church and fired into the air. There was panic,” the source said.

According to the witness, a man and his wife ran from the church and hid inside their home, but the attackers reportedly followed them and killed the couple.

Another local said several churchgoers escaped to neighbouring villages, while others fled into nearby bush paths for safety.

The attackers were also said to have rustled cattle before fleeing the area.

Niger, a Sahel nation, has faced persistent insecurity over the past decade, with military forces battling armed groups believed to be linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

Conflict monitoring group ACLED said nearly 2,000 people have been killed in violence across Niger this year.