United States Embassy Niamey
4 June 2020
PRESS RELEASE
The Embassy of the United States is outraged over the senseless attack on Sunday, May 31, by dozens of unidentified armed men on motorcycles in Intikane resulting in the tragic death of three persons. One of the victims was a local community leader and the two others were leaders in the Malian refugee community. The killings have forced hundreds of people to leave their homes in Intikane, which had been peacefully hosting 20,000 Malian refugees and 15,000 internally displaced persons. This unified and well-led community is now under enormous stress. The U.S. Embassy calls on all Nigeriens to support the residents of Intikane and for the cowardly and brutal attackers to be found and held accountable for their crimes.
The U.S. Embassy also stands with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in offering humanitarian relief to this vulnerable community. The Department of State recently contributed $1.19 million U.S. dollars to UNHCR bolstering its COVID-19 response including for the construction and furnishing of quarantine and isolation tents in various regions throughout the country and the inclusion of internally displaced persons and refugees in the COVID-19 National Plan. The United States has long supported UNHCR in its work to ensure the safety and wellness of some of the most vulnerable members of society and condemns in the strongest terms this cowardly and brutal act.
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