Islamist insurgency in Niger
| Islamist insurgency in Niger | ||||||||
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| Part of the War in the Sahel, spillover of the Mali War, Boko Haram insurgency, War against the Islamic State and the war on terror | ||||||||
The activity area of the IS-GS in Niger on 2021. | ||||||||
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| Belligerents | ||||||||
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Supported by: European Union EUCAP Sahel Niger (2012–24) Canada Operation Naberius (2013–24) Belgium Germany (2015–24) Italy Turkey |
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| Commanders and leaders | ||||||||
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Omar Tchiani (2023–present) Mohamed Bazoum (2021–2023) Mahamadou Issoufou (2016–2021) Abdou Sidikou Issa (2023–present) Salifou Modi (2020–2023) |
Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi † Abdulaziz Mahwaz Al-Jamal Soumana Boura † |
Iyad Ag Ghaly Abubakar Shekau † Abu Umaimata Ibrahim Mahamadu † | ||||||
| Units involved | ||||||||
| Niger Armed Forces | Military of the Islamic State |
Unknown Bakura's group | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | ||||||||
| 6,500+ deaths, c. 30,000 internally displaced | ||||||||
Since 2015, the border area between Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger has been a hotbed for jihadist forces originating from Mali. The insurgency has taken place in two distinct regions of Niger. In southwest, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara and the Nusrat al-Islam have carried out attacks in the tri-border area with Burkina Faso and Mali. Meanwhile, in the southeast, the Islamic State in the West African Province has established control in parts of southern Niger.
Weak governance in the Sahel has been attributed the expansion of violent extremism in the region. The region's stability has been significantly impacted by frequent transfers of power, exemplified by Niger experiencing a failed attempted coup in 2021 and a successful coup in 2023.