Niger: Scenes from the Conflict in Diffa

Since February 2015, the region of Diffa, in Niger, has become the target of attacks by the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), also known as Boko Haram. The continuous violence has caused an exodus of more than 300,000 people. For months, the displaced population has settled around main cities and villages of Diffa, Nguigmi and Bosso districts, as well as in makeshift camps along the RN1 road that connects Diffa with Niamey, the capital of Niger. They are living in very precarious conditions. The majority are fishermen or farmers but, for security reasons, the Niger authorities have banned their access to the banks of the Komadougou river, where they carried out all their activity. In this context, MSF is working to support several health centres in the region, as well as the main maternal and child centre in the city of Diffa and the Nguigmi district hospital. MSF is also providing medical care in several displacement camps and sites.

Sylvain Cherkaoui / Cosmos for MSF

Since February 2015, the region of Diffa, in Niger, has become the target of attacks by the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), also known as Boko Haram. The continuous violence has caused an exodus of more than 300,000 people. For months, the displaced population has settled around main cities and villages of Diffa, Nguigmi and Bosso districts, as well as in makeshift camps along the RN1 road that connects Diffa with Niamey, the capital of Niger. They are living in very precarious conditions. The majority are fishermen or farmers but, for security reasons, the Niger authorities have banned their access to the banks of the Komadougou river, where they carried out all their activity. In this context, MSF is working to support several health centres in the region, as well as the main maternal and child centre in the city of Diffa and the Nguigmi district hospital. MSF is also providing medical care in several displacement camps and sites.

Sylvain Cherkaoui / Cosmos for MSF

Since February 2015, the region of Diffa, in Niger, has become the target of attacks by the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), also known as Boko Haram. The continuous violence has caused an exodus of more than 300,000 people. For months, the displaced population has settled around main cities and villages of Diffa, Nguigmi and Bosso districts, as well as in makeshift camps along the RN1 road that connects Diffa with Niamey, the capital of Niger. They are living in very precarious conditions. The majority are fishermen or farmers but, for security reasons, the Niger authorities have banned their access to the banks of the Komadougou river, where they carried out all their activity. In this context, MSF is working to support several health centres in the region, as well as the main maternal and child centre in the city of Diffa and the Nguigmi district hospital. MSF is also providing medical care in several displacement camps and sites.

Sylvain Cherkaoui / Cosmos for MSF

Thousands of people have fled their villages on islands in Lake Chad, in south-eastern Niger, after Nigerien authorities urged them to leave the area following the deadly attack of Boko Haram on the island of Karamga on 25 April. About 1,500 additional people are now in a transit site in Diffa, the capital of the region.

MSF

Yebbi camp, in Bosso, Diffa region, in south-eastern Niger. At the beginning of May, thousands of people fled their villages on islands in Lake Chad, after Nigerien authorities urged them to leave the area following the deadly attack of Boko Haram on the island of Karamga. Most of them are settled around two camps, one in Bosso (Yebbi) and another one in Nguigmi (Kimegana), two towns located near the lake.

Since February 2015, the region of Diffa, in Niger, has become the target of attacks by the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), also known as Boko Haram. The continuous violence has caused an exodus of more than 300,000 people. For months, the displaced population has settled around main cities and villages of Diffa, Nguigmi and Bosso districts, as well as in makeshift camps along the RN1 road that connects Diffa with Niamey, the capital of Niger. They are living in very precarious conditions. The majority are fishermen or farmers but, for security reasons, the Niger authorities have banned their access to the banks of the Komadougou river, where they carried out all their activity. In this context, MSF is working to support several health centres in the region, as well as the main maternal and child centre in the city of Diffa and the Nguigmi district hospital. MSF is also providing medical care in several displacement camps and sites.

Sylvain Cherkaoui / Cosmos for MSF

Thousands of newly displaced people from Bosso district have have sought refuge around the village of Kintchandi. MSF is providing healthcare and water to these people.

Anne Boher

Niger: Scenes from the Conflict in Diffa

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Niger: Scenes from the Conflict in Diffa

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