Niger: “Large number” of prison escapees caught, three killed

An army statement said a mutiny had broken out in the prison, with “several dozen prisoners taking advantage of the situation to escape.”

“Thanks to a quick and efficient response … a large number of fugitives were caught,” it said, without giving details.

It further said that three “armed terrorists” had been killed and that a search for the “remaining refugees” was currently underway in a populated area around the Niger River.

Authorities imposed a curfew following the outbreak, but did not provide any information on the number of perpetrators who were on the run.

Koutoukale prison is located in the Tillaberi region, a vast and unstable border area between Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso that is vulnerable to attacks by rebels with links to Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

Niger is ruled by a military junta that seized power in a coup in July 2023, citing the deteriorating security situation as justification for seizing power.

The army also announced on Saturday that six soldiers were killed in a jihadist attack on Wednesday in the neighboring Tahoua region.

It was said that “22 terrorists” were killed in subsequent operations in Tillaberi between Thursday and Saturday.

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