The security situation is worsening in Tillabéri, this region in the south-west of Niger, on the border with Mali and Burkina Faso, according to the latest report from Ocha, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
135 violent incidents have been counted since the beginning of the year compared to 93 for the whole of 2021. “ These attacks come in particular, this year, from Burkina, which are making incursions into Niger, so everything on the right bank of the Niger River – Gothèye, Todiri, Téra – which is concerned”, explains Emmanuel Gignac, the representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Niamey.
And this rise in insecurity causes a serious humanitarian crisis. “ Since the beginning of the year, there are internal population movements who leave their village because they have been threatened. More than 58,000 people would have been displaced in this way,” adds the UN representative. Ocha estimates that the humanitarian response plan for Niger will require, in 2022, an envelope of more than 550 million dollars. At this time, only 10% of this sum has been provided.
According to Ocha, the situation is closely linked with developments in the sub-region and the departure of French forces from Mali. ” In Mali, there have also been movements of refugees from Mali to Niger following fighting between terrorist groups and Tuareg groups. On the Burkina side, various Islamist groups oppose each other in territorial battles. But clearly, there is an offensive which also aims to destabilize villages located in the border area between Niger and Burkina. There was also this year, and this is perhaps what makes a little difference, joint operations between the Nigerien armed forces and the Burkinabè armed forces. “, he concludes.