Nineteen civilians were killed on Wednesday in an armed attack in western Niger near the border with Mali, the Interior Ministry announced Thursday evening.

A group of unidentified armed individuals attacked the Banibangou district of the Deye Koukou village in the Tillabery region, causing 19 deaths, three injuries and one missing, the ministry said in a press release.

"Security and health measures have been reinforced in the area," and investigation has been launched to locate the perpetrators of this attack, it added.