The attacks carried out on Sunday by armed men against villages in the Tahoua region in Niger, not far from Mali, "
resulted in the deaths of 137 people,
" the Nigerian government announced on Monday evening.
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"
By now systematically targeting the civilian populations, these armed bandits are going one step further in horror and barbarism
", denounced the government spokesman, Zakaria Abdourahamane, in a statement read on public television.