Gunmen attack two buses in northern Niger, killing at least 11

Gunmen attacked two buses in northern Niger, killing at least 11 passengers and injuring several others, according to local media and sources.

The buses had left the mining town of Arlit on Tuesday morning and were attacked outside Agadez by people in three vehicles.

Soldiers escorting the buses exchanged fire with the attackers, a passenger said.

Niger’s vast northern region has largely avoided the jihadist violence affecting the country’s west and southeast.

But it is a route for drugs, weapons and migrants heading toward Europe, and is home to armed groups opposed to the military junta that took power in a 2023 coup.

The region has also seen violence linked to booming illegal gold mining, adding to its security challenges.