Forty-nine Nigerien nationals died of thirst in the desert, local authorities said Thursday. This dramatic situation occurred in the border area between Algeria, Niger and Mali, after the breakdown of the truck transporting them.

Published on: 05/06/2026 - 10:13 Modified on: 05/06/2026 - 10:14

Drama in the desert in Niger. Some 49 Nigerien nationals died of thirst in the border area between Algeria, Niger and Mali, after the truck transporting them broke down, local authorities said on Thursday June 4.

The 49 people "died of thirst in a remote area located more than 80 km west of Assamaka", the governorate of Agadez, which administers this area, indicated on Facebook, specifying that the travelers were returning from Mali to celebrate the Eid festival.

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“Deprived of water and unable to repair the vehicle despite the efforts of the driver, his apprentices and passengers, the travelers found themselves trapped in the heart of a hostile environment where extreme temperatures and the absence of supply points make any survival extremely difficult,” detailed the governorate, adding that the victims were buried in mass graves.

“However, two people survived this ordeal” and “traveled more than fifty kilometers on foot before reaching a pond and then reaching Assamaka where they were able to raise the alarm,” according to the same source. Returning from the site of the tragedy, local authorities discovered another truck immobilized more than 60 km from Assamaka, with "on board more than 60 people... stranded for three days in the heart of the desert following a battery failure."

Known crossing point for African migrants seeking to reach Europe

These travelers had left a Malian gold panning site located more than 300 km from the Nigerien border, specifies the governorate in a second press release.

The delegation provided the necessary assistance to repair the vehicle, allowing passengers to resume their journey, adds the same source.

This desert area, a known crossing point for African migrants seeking to reach Europe, is regularly the scene of tragedies of this type. In 2025, at least 35 migrants died in the Niger desert, reported the NGO Alarme Phone Sahara (APS).

In October 2013, 92 Nigerien migrants (33 women, 52 children and 7 men) died of thirst in the middle of the desert in northern Niger, near the Algerian border, after being abandoned by their smugglers following vehicle breakdowns. They were trying to go to Algeria.

More than 34,000 migrants were deported from Algeria to neighboring Niger in 2025, according to APS.

With AFP

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