The investigation opened in France after the assassination on August 9 in Niger of six French humanitarian workers and two Nigeriens was entrusted to anti-terrorism judges on Tuesday, according to the national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office (Pnat). This judicial information was opened for "assassinations in connection with a terrorist enterprise", according to this source.
Young French aid workers, two men and four women, were murdered with their Nigerien driver and guide by armed men on motorcycles while they were visiting the Kouré giraffe reserve, 60 km south-east of the capital. Niamey where they were based.
A judicial source had indicated on August 12 that, according to the first elements of the anti-terrorism investigation opened in Paris, the attack appeared "to have been premeditated" with the objective of "targeting Westerners". The remains of French aid workers were repatriated on August 14.
On August 19, Nigerien Interior Minister Alkache Alhada announced that a suspect had been arrested. “We are currently on serious leads, leads that can lead us to the perpetrators of these acts […] We have certain information which gives us indications on the probable actors of these horrible crimes […] and we think that is fine with us lead to positive results, ”he said.
The “formally discouraged” area
Aged 25 to 31, the six French victims were sent by the NGO Acted to Niger, where they notably came to the aid of displaced populations while the French force Barkhane struggles to contain the jihadist threat in the Sahel despite success on field.
After the attack, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs placed all of Niger with the exception of the capital Niamey in a red zone, ie "formally discouraged". The NGO Acted for its part decided to temporarily suspend its activities in Niger.
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A team of eleven specialized French investigators, from the DGSI (General Directorate of Internal Security), the Antiterrorist Sub-Directorate and the scientific technical police, went to the site shortly after the tragedy to make findings.
