Niger drone strike kills seven civilians in Tillabéri

On 24 July, a Nigerien army drone attack hit the village of Chinagodrar in the Tillabéri region while residents were holding a funeral ceremony. At least seven people were killed and several others injured, according to local reports and RFI. Villagers say no militants were present and condemn the strike as a civilian casualty.

The incident adds to a series of drone‑borne operations the military has carried out in the Sahel, using equipment sourced from Turkey, Russia and China. Authorities maintain the strikes target hidden jihadists, but repeated reports of civilian deaths have raised concerns over targeting protocols and the increasing reliance on aerial warfare in the region.