August 2021 Darey-Daye massacre
| August 2021 Darey-Daye massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of Jihadist insurgency in Niger | |
| Location | Darey-Daye, Tillaberi Region, Niger |
| Date | August 16, 2021 |
| Deaths | 37 |
| Perpetrator |  Islamic State – Sahel Province |
On August 16, 2021, Islamic State attacked the town of Darey-Daye, Tillabéri Region, Niger, killing at least 37 people. The massacre was the second major attack on Darey-Daye in 2021, after a massacre by the ISGS in March killed 66 people.[1]
Background
[edit]At the start of 2021, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, a predominantly Fulani organization based in the tri-border area between Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, began attacking civilian areas, especially with non-Fulani populations. The first major attack was the Tchoma Bangou and Zaroumdareye massacres that killed 105 people, and on the same day of the attack in Darey-Daye, ISGS fighters in Mali killed thirty-three Malian soldiers during the battle of Tessit.[2]
In March 2021, ISGS attacked buses carrying civilians between Chinagodrar and Darey-Daye, killing sixty-six people and targeting Zarma men and boys.[1] The attack on Darey-Daye was followed by an attack on four villages in Tillia a week later that killed 137 people.[1]
Massacre
[edit]At the time of the massacre, civilians in Darey-Daye were tending to their fields when jihadists arrived on motorbikes.[3][4] The attack occurred shortly after Friday prayer, and the perpetrators shot indiscriminately at the farmers, killing fourteen children.[5] The Nigerien Ministry of Defense stated on August 17 that 37 people were killed in the massacre.[4][6] Nigerien officials also mandated 48 hours of mourning and flags to be placed at half-mast.[4]
ISGS did not immediately claim responsibility for the massacre, although were suspected by Nigerien officials and analysts.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Niger: Surging Atrocities by Armed Islamist Groups | Human Rights Watch". 2021-08-11. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "Fifty-Eight Killed in 'Barbarous' Niger Attacks Near Mali Border". www.thedefensepost.com. 17 March 2021. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
- ^ "Gunmen kill 37 in Niger village attack – DW – 08/17/2021". dw.com. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ a b c "Niger declares two days of national mourning after 37 killed". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ Darvell, Heidi A. (2021-08-24). "At Least 15 Killed in Southwestern Niger During Friday Prayer". The Organization for World Peace. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ Nelson, Robin; Seglin, Lily (October 30, 2021). "A Mixed Method Study on Gender Differentiated Drivers of Violent Extremism in Central Sahel" (PDF). USAID. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
- ^ "Niger: Unidentified gunmen kill 37 people in village outside of Bani Bangou, Tillaberi Region, Aug. 16". Niger: Unidentified gunmen kill 37 people in village outside of Bani Bangou, Tillaberi Region, Aug. 16 | Crisis24. Retrieved 2024-10-16.