The city of Tahoua, a strategic crossroads in southwestern Niger, was the scene of rare violence on the night of March 8-9 . Heavy gunfire and explosions shook the city center and the airport area, shattering the relative calm of this urban area of 100,000 inhabitants.

Course of the attack

According to testimonies gathered, the incursion began around 3 a.m. (2 a.m. GMT).

1. Method of operation: The attackers, whose identity remains to be confirmed, infiltrated the city on motorcycles.
2. Targets: The exchange of fire was concentrated near the airport and in the heart of the city.
3. Social evidence: Several videos circulating on social media show scenes of panic, where explosions can be clearly heard as residents try to take shelter.

A deteriorating security situation

Although the city itself had not yet been affected, the Tahoua region is an area of high tension, caught between two threats:

1. In the North (Mali border): Intense activity of jihadist groups, notably the Islamic State in the Sahel (ISS).
2. In the South (Nigeria border): Repeated incursions by armed "bandits". Just last week, an attack on a border checkpoint claimed the lives of a customs officer and three civilians.

Note: This offensive comes in a climate of high vigilance, just weeks after the complex attack carried out by ISIS against Niamey airport.

Current situation

By early Monday morning, calm had returned. Residents began to go out to prepare for Ramadan , although the human and material toll of that night of anguish had not yet been officially released by the authorities.