At least 49 Nigeriens died of thirst in the Sahara Desert in northern Niger after a truck carrying them broke down. The victims were returning home from a religious festival in Mali when the vehicle stopped running more than 80 kilometers west of Assamaka, near the borders with Mali and Algeria.
The truck had traveled for several days from the Malian town of Talhandek, located about 300 kilometers from the Nigerien border. Despite efforts by the driver, his apprentice, and the passengers to repair the vehicle, they remained trapped in a hostile environment. Authorities stated that extreme temperatures and a lack of supply points made survival extremely difficult.
Two men survived the ordeal by trekking more than 50 kilometers to a water source and then continuing to Assamaka to alert authorities. A delegation sent by the Agadez Region Governor, Gen. Ibra Boulama Issa, found dozens of lifeless bodies under and around the immobile truck, with clothing and belongings scattered nearby.
The 49 victims were buried in mass graves at the scene. Officials described the process as a particularly delicate and emotionally exhausting task for those who survived.