Fambita mosque attack
On 21 March 2025, an armed assault targeted a mosque in the southwestern Niger town of Fambita, Kokorou, resulting in at least forty-four fatalities and thirteen injuries. The Nigerien government subsequently declared a three-day national mourning period. Security authorities attributed responsibility for the attack to the Islamic State – Sahel Province.
Attack
The attack occurred in the Fambita district of Kokorou, a rural community situated near Niger's southwestern border with Burkina Faso and Mali, which had been deemed a focal point of an Islamic State and al-Qaeda-linked jihadist insurgency. According to government statements, armed assailants surrounded the mosque during Ramadan prayer services in the early afternoon hours. The attackers randomly shot at worshippers. The Ministry of Interior characterized the attack as displaying "unusual cruelty" in its execution. Beyond the human casualties, perpetrators also set ablaze the local marketplace and several residential structures.At least 44 people were killed. Twenty people were injured, with 13 people being severely injured and four people being critically injured.