Niger’s interior ministry has announced that search units are on high alert following an escape of militants in jail from the high-security Koutoukale prison on Thursday, July 11. This prison is known for housing Islamist militants.
The ministry did not provide specific details on the number of prisoners who escaped or the methods they used to do so. Koutoukale prison is situated 50 kilometers northwest of Niamey, the capital of Niger. Notably, there were unsuccessful breakout attempts at this facility in 2016 and 2019.
Koutoukale prison holds detainees involved in Niger’s conflicts with armed groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State, as well as suspected Boko Haram insurgents.
In response to the escape, local authorities have imposed an overnight curfew in Tillaberi, the urban commune in the same region as the prison. No further details have been provided at this time.
Niger and its neighboring countries in the central Sahel region are at the forefront of battling a growing jihadist threat. This threat has been escalating since 2012 when al-Qaida-linked fighters first seized parts of Mali.
The insurgencies have led to thousands of deaths and the displacement of over 3 million people, creating a severe humanitarian crisis in some of the world’s poorest countries.
Africannews.com
