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Niger Declares Emergency in Areas Flanking Restive Mali
[AnNahar] Niger on Friday declared a state of emergency in several western areas flanking Mali after a spate of deadly attacks blamed on jihadists from its restive neighbour.

A government statement read on state television
... and if you can't believe state television who can you believe?
said a state of emergency would be enforced in seven departments of the regions of Tillaberi and Tahoua.

Security forces would now be granted additional powers including the right to search homes at any time, it said.

The statement said repeated attacks in these areas "have endangered the security of the peaceful population and public order."

The zones affected are "Ouallam, Ayorou, Bankilare, Abala and Banibangou in Tillaberi and Tassara and Tilia in Tahoua".

Tillaberi and Tahoua have witnessed several deadly attacks on army posts and refugee camps, blamed by authorities on Malian jibadists linked to the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) group.
...one of Al Qaeda in North Africa's Mali affiliates, known for drugs and arms trafficking, kidnapping, and the occasional newsworthy attack in southern Algeria and northern Mali, a.k.a. the Azawad. Established in 2011, one faction of MUJAO became known as Al Mourabitoun and related names after merging with Mokhtar Belmokhtar's Masked Battalion in 2013, while the rump organization retains the MUJAO designation. The Black African-led (Hausa) group participated in the Tuareg rebellion along with other jihadi groups, and peaked with the conquest of the Malian city of Konna before being driven into the mountains by a combined French and Mali force in 2013.
These include a late February attack in Ouallam which killed 16 soldiers and maimed 18. And in October, 22 soldiers died in Tahoua during a daring assault on a refugee camp.
Posted by: trailing wife 2017-03-04
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=482629