Terrorists Killed 20+ in Zamfara While Soldiers Fled — Survivors Speak

Last Wednesday, heavily armed terrorists invaded several communities in Sauna District, Talata Mafara LGA, Zamfara State, killing no fewer than 20 residents in a three-hour daylight attack that lasted from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Survivors told SaharaReporters that nearby soldiers and police officers fled for their own safety instead of intervening.

A community member who survived the attack said: "The attack started around 2 p.m. and continued until about 5 p.m. The terrorists operated freely for three hours without any security operatives coming to our rescue. The police and the soldiers who are close by ran away for their own lives, leaving the residents completely at the mercy of the terrorists." The attackers hit multiple villages including Zauren Goro, Tulluwa, Unguwar Shanu, Tsangaya, Tudun Namali, and Tungar Dahiru, rustling livestock and killing farmers caught in their fields.

More than 20 bodies have been recovered so far, and at least five injured victims are receiving treatment at General Hospital in Talata Mafara. This is the same area where Amnesty International recently condemned the killing of 24 farmers by bandits, calling the security strategy a failure. When security forces run instead of fight, what hope do villagers have?