The Niger church attack, which occurred in the Dosso region, an area affected by years of militant violence involving groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, left a couple dead this week after gunmen stormed a church and opened fire, according to local sources on Friday.

Conflict analysts say the Niger church attack reflects wider insecurity in the Sahel, where civilians and places of worship face increasingly deadly threats.

Residents said the Niger church attack took place late on Wednesday night in Mailo village while Christians were attending a church service.

“The attack happened in Mailo village at around 11:00 pm on Wednesday night. Christians were attending mass in the church when armed individuals came in and fired into the air. There was panic,” a local told AFP.

A guy and his spouse attempted to flee the Niger church attack by sheltering in their house, according to the source, who asked to remain anonymous.

“A man and his wife ran and hid in their house but (the assailants) followed them and they were killed.”

According to a different local, the attack on the Niger church led a number of worshippers to either hide in the surrounding jungle or escape to neighbouring villages.

After the attack on the Niger church, he continued, the perpetrators fled with cattle, increasing the locals’ anxiety.

Nearly 2,000 people have died in violent incidents in Niger this year, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project.

Christians and Muslims in Niger normally get along well, notwithstanding the attack on the church.

However, past church attacks in Tillaberi between 2018 and 2021 were attributed to suspected terrorists.

Earlier this year, 111 Muslim worshippers were killed in the same area.

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