Turkey strongly condemns 'heinous terrorist attack' in Niger

Turkey on Thursday strongly condemned a "heinous terrorist attack" on Niger's border with Mali which left at least 69 people dead.

"We are deeply saddened to receive the news that more than 60 people lost their lives during an attack perpetrated in a village located in the Tillaberi region of Niger on 4 November 2021," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also extended its sincere condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and to the "friendly and brotherly" people and government of Niger and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded.

Speaking on state television, Niger's Interior Minister Alkache Alhada said the village of Adab-Dab in the Tillaberi region was attacked by members of an armed terrorist group.

Alhada noted that 69 people, including the mayor of Banibangou district, to which the village is affiliated, lost their lives in the attack.

It was also learned that the attack was organized during the visit of a delegation from Banibangou Municipality to the village and that there were militias providing security among those who lost their lives.

Fifteen people survived the attack and nine are missing.

Tillaberi has been under attack by the branch of Daesh/ISIS in West Africa's Sahel region for some time.