Nearly 130 people have been 'summarily executed' by Islamist insurgents in Niger in separate attacks since March, a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) says. The rights group details a series of brutal assaults, including a mass murder in June at a mosque in the western Tillabéri region, where gunmen shot dead over 70 worshippers during prayers. 'There were bodies everywhere, one on top of the other,' a local woman cited in HRW's report complains, having lost three of her sons in the incident. This wave of violence significantly undermines the credibility of Niger's military junta, which has pledged to curb insurgency following the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum last year. Approximately 1,600 civilians have died at the hands of Islamic State (IS) fighters in Niger since the coup, according to HRW. Islamist groups are also responsible for destroying schools and imposing severe restrictions on freedoms based on their interpretation of Islam. Ilaria Allegrozzi, a senior HRW researcher, affirmed that 'Islamist armed groups are targeting the civilian population in western Niger and committing horrific abuses.' The authorities in Niger must bolster their efforts to protect civilians in the Tillabéri region, she stressed. The army has yet to respond to the HRW report, which alleges a lack of adequate military response to villagers' warnings of impending attacks. As the insurgency continues, the need for effective strategies against the violence is increasingly urgent.