Editing Niger (section)

==== Seventh Republic (2010–2023) ====
[[File:Niger, Barkiawal Béri (04), vue aérienne avec RN25.jpg|thumb|Semi-arid Niger is threatened by further [[Desertification in Africa|desertification]].]]
Following the adoption of a constitution in 2010 and [[2011 Nigerien general election|presidential elections]] a year later, [[Mahamadou Issoufou]] was elected as the first president of the Seventh Republic; he was then [[2016 Nigerien general election|re-elected]] in 2016.<ref name="H-Dictionary"/><ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-niger-election-idUSKCN0WO0ZN "Boycott helps Niger President Issoufou win re-election"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304072455/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-niger-election-idUSKCN0WO0ZN |date=4 March 2020 }}, Reuters, 22 March 2016.</ref> The constitution restored the semi-presidential system which had been abolished a year earlier. An attempted coup against him in 2011 was thwarted and its ringleaders arrested.<ref name=FITWreport>{{cite web|title=Freedom in the World 2012: Niger|url=http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2012/niger|publisher=Freedom House|access-date=8 April 2013|year=2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025073132/http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2012/niger|archive-date=25 October 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Issoufou's time in office was marked by threats to the country's security, stemming from the fallout from the [[Libyan Civil War]] and [[Northern Mali conflict]], [[jihadist insurgency in Niger|an insurgency in western Niger]] by [[al-Qaeda]] and [[Islamic State]], the spillover of Nigeria's [[Boko Haram insurgency]] into south-eastern Niger, and the use of Niger as a transit country for migrants (often organised by [[people-smuggling]] [[gang]]s).<ref>{{citation|url= https://www.voanews.com/a/africa_unhcr-attacks-nw-nigeria-send-thousands-fleeing-niger/6176607.html|publisher= News 24|title= UNHCR: Attacks in NW Nigeria Send Thousands Fleeing to Niger|date= 27 September 2019|access-date= 8 November 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191108190356/https://www.voanews.com/africa/unhcr-attacks-nw-nigeria-send-thousands-fleeing-niger|archive-date= 8 November 2019|url-status= live}}</ref> French and American forces assisted Niger in countering these threats.<ref>{{cite web|title=France ready to strike extremists on Libya border|url=http://asian-defence-news.blogspot.fr/2015/01/france-ready-to-strike-extremists-on.html|website=Asian Defense News|date=6 January 2015|publisher=6 January 2015|access-date=6 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031907/http://asian-defence-news.blogspot.fr/2015/01/france-ready-to-strike-extremists-on.html|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> 

On 10 December 2019, a large group of fighters belonging to the [[Islamic State in the Greater Sahara]] (IS-GS) [[Battle of Inates|attacked]] a military post in [[Inates]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Behind the Jihadist Attack in Inates |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/niger/behind-jihadist-attack-inates |work=[[ReliefWeb]] |date=13 December 2019}}</ref> killing over seventy [[Niger Armed Forces|soldiers]] and kidnapping others.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20191211-niger-soldiers-killed-attack-sahel-military-camp-issoufou-keita-macron-france-tuareg-islamic-state-al-qaeda-dead|title=At least 70 soldiers killed in attack on Niger military camp|date=2019-12-11|website=France 24|language=en|access-date=2019-12-12}}</ref> The attack was the deadliest single incident Niger's military has ever experienced.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/scores-soldiers-killed-niger-base-attack-191211184533878.html|title=Scores of soldiers killed in Niger base attack|date=11 December 2019|work=Al Jazeera|access-date=15 December 2019}}</ref> On 9 January 2020, a large group of IS-GS militants [[Battle of Chinagodrar|assaulted]] a Nigerien military base at Chinagodrar, in Niger's [[Tillabéri Region]], killing at least 89 Nigerien soldiers.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Aksar |first1=Moussa |last2=Lewis |first2=David |last3=Balima |first3=Boureima |last4=Ross |first4=Aaron |date=2020-01-11 |title=Niger army base attack death toll rises to at least 89: security sources |language=en |work=Reuters |editor-last=Elgood |editor-first=Giles |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-niger-security-idUSKBN1ZA0TH |access-date=2023-07-09}}</ref>

On 27 December 2020, Nigeriens [[2020–21 Nigerien general election|went to the polls]] after Issoufou announced he would step down, paving the way to a [[peaceful transition of power]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=AfricaNews|date=2021-01-07|title=Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou set to exit power|url=https://www.africanews.com/2021/01/07/nigerien-president-mahamadou-issoufou-set-to-exit-power/|access-date=2021-02-05|website=Africanews|language=en|archive-date=4 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204003650/https://www.africanews.com/2021/01/07/nigerien-president-mahamadou-issoufou-set-to-exit-power//|url-status=live}}</ref> No candidate won an absolute majority in the vote: [[Mohamed Bazoum]] came closest with 39.33%. Per the constitution, a run-off election was held on 20 February 2021, with Bazoum taking 55.75% of the vote and opposition candidate (and former president) [[Mahamane Ousmane]] taking 44.25%, according to the electoral commission.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-02-23|title=Niger election: Mohamed Bazoum wins landmark vote amid protests|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-56175439|access-date=2021-02-23|archive-date=23 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210223191809/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-56175439|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the start of 2021 with the [[Tchoma Bangou and Zaroumdareye massacres]], IS-GS began killing civilians en masse.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-25 |title=Massacres au Niger: peut-on éviter une guerre sans fin? |url=https://www.lavie.fr/actualite/massacres-au-niger-peut-on-eviter-une-guerre-sans-fin-72347.php |access-date=2024-08-28 |website=La Vie.fr |language=fr-FR}}</ref> On 21 March 2021, the IS-GS militants [[Tillia massacres|attacked]] several villages around [[Tillia]], killing 141 people, mostly civilians.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Macé |first=Célian |title=Au Niger, l'escalade macabre de l'Etat islamique |url=https://www.liberation.fr/international/afrique/au-niger-les-tueries-a-repetition-de-letat-islamique-20210322_3YXC74YX6NHWPELFD5OH6MR3VQ/ |access-date=2024-08-28 |website=Libération |language=fr}}</ref>

On 31 March 2021, Niger's security forces thwarted an [[2021 Nigerien coup d'état attempt|attempted coup]] by a military unit in the capital, [[Niamey]]. Gunfire was heard in the presidential palace. The attack took place two days before newly elected president [[Mohamed Bazoum]] was due to be sworn into office. The Presidential Guard arrested some people during the incident.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Niger: Attack on presidential palace an 'attempted coup'|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/31/heavy-gunfire-heard-near-nigers-presidency|access-date=2021-03-31|website=aljazeera.com|language=en|archive-date=31 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331175659/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/31/heavy-gunfire-heard-near-nigers-presidency|url-status=live}}</ref> On 2 April 2021, Bazoum was sworn in as the [[President of Niger]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/2/niger-president-to-be-sworn-in-after-attempted-coup |title=Mohamed Bazoum sworn in as Niger's president amid tensions |work=Aljazeera |first=Giacomo |last=Zandonini |date=2 April 2021 |access-date=26 August 2021 |archive-date=11 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811072217/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/2/niger-president-to-be-sworn-in-after-attempted-coup |url-status=live }}</ref>