49 Nigerien nationals die of thirst in desert after truck breakdown

The Agadez governorate, which administers the area, stated on Facebook that the 49 individuals died of thirst in a remote area over 80 kilometers west of Assamaka. The travelers were returning from Mali to celebrate Eid. Deprived of water and unable to repair the vehicle despite efforts by the driver, his apprentices, and passengers, the travelers were trapped in a hostile environment with extreme temperatures and no supply points.

The victims were buried in mass graves. Two people survived the ordeal, walking over 50 kilometers before reaching a pond and then Assamaka, where they raised the alarm. Local authorities, returning from the scene, discovered another truck immobilized over 60 kilometers from Assamaka, with over 60 people stranded for three days due to a battery failure.

These travelers had left a Malian gold panning site over 300 kilometers from the Nigerien border. The delegation provided necessary assistance to repair the vehicle, allowing passengers to continue their journey. This desert area is a known crossing point for African migrants attempting to reach Europe and is regularly the scene of such tragedies.

In 2025, at least 35 migrants died in the Nigerien desert, according to the NGO Alarme Phone Sahara APS. In October 2013, 92 Nigerien migrants perished from thirst in the northern Nigerien desert nea