Parts of Niger under curfew as hunt on for escaped prisoners

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - Authorities in Niger have imposed a curfew in the southwestern Tillaberi region and launched a hunt for fugitives after a significant jailbreak on Thursday, local media reported.

The high-security Koutoukale prison, situated about 50 kilometers (30 miles) northwest of the capital Niamey, houses inmates, including terrorists, criminals, and drug traffickers.

The Interior Ministry has not disclosed the number of escapees or details of their escape from the facility, which has previously foiled jailbreak attempts in 2016 and 2019.

The escape has prompted a nighttime curfew across Tillaberi, restricting all pedestrian, bicycle, and motor vehicle movement from 9 p.m. local time (2000GMT) onwards. The duration of the curfew remains uncertain as authorities have not provided specific hours, according to local media.

Niger, alongside its neighbors Mali and Burkina Faso, has been grappling with a surge in terrorist attacks by groups linked to al-Qaeda and Boko Haram in the Sahel region.

The country has experienced increased instability since its government was overthrown in a military coup in July 2023.