In the Tillabéri region of western Niger, an Islamist armed group known as the Islamic State in the Sahel (IS Sahel) has conducted violent attacks that resulted in the deaths of 30 civilians, including four children. Human Rights Watch reported that these attacks, which occurred since January 18, 2026, are considered unlawful and represent clear war crimes. The violence appears linked to the group's attempts to assert control and punish villagers for resisting their imposed taxes and affiliation with pro-government militias.

The first attack took place on January 18, when IS Sahel fighters executed 31 men and boys in Bossieye village. This brutal act of retaliation targeted residents who had refused to comply with the group's zakat demands and had shown support for local militia forces. The second incident occurred on January 26 in the nearby Alfaga Daweyzé Koira village, where four men were killed while defending a villager accused of collaborating with the military, highlighting the complex dynamics of local allegiance amid ongoing insurgency.

These incidents underscore the ongoing instability in the Tillabéri region, which has been a hotspot for IS Sahel operations and government military responses over the past decade. The recent killings mark a significant escalation in violence against civilians, raising urgent concerns about the need for enhanced civilian protection measures, accountability for such atrocities, and the broader implications for the region's security and governance as it grapples with the fallout of extremist violence.