Charlie Hebdo Muhammad Cartoon Sparks Protests: 10 Killed In Niger As Muslims Rage Over New Cartoon

At least 10 people have been killed in Niger in the two days of violent protests over Charlie Hebdo's latest caricature featuring the Muslim prophet Muhammad.

President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger said five people died on Saturday following protests in the capital city of Niamey. The five were inside churches or bars that were set on fire.

"Those who pillage religious sites and profane them, those who persecute and kill their Christian compatriots or foreigners who live on our soil, have understood nothing of Islam," he said in a televised address.

At least six churches were also set ablaze by stone-throwing youths who were fired upon with teargas by the police. A police station was also attacked and at least two police cars burned.

On Friday, at least five were killed in Zinder, Niger's largest city, after prayer services there, Al Jazeera reported.

The president said a probe will be conducted and organizers of the violence will be punished.

However, he said he also shared the disgust of Muslims over the new cartoon of French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, published in an issue on Wednesday – the first after the attack on its offices on Jan. 7 which claimed 12 lives.

The president, who joined the march in Paris last weekend alongside French President Francois Hollande and leaders of other countries, maintained that freedom of expression should not mean liberty to insult religions, according to Reuters.

Authorities already banned the Sunday march called upon by opposition groups.

"They offended our prophet Muhammad. That's what we didn't like," protester Amadou Abdoul Ouahab said as quoted by Al Jazeera. "This is the reason why we have asked Muslims to come, so that we can explain this to them, but the state refused. That's why we're angry today."

The French embassy already warned its citizens in Niger to be "very cautious" and to "avoid going out."

Meanwhile, peaceful marches were held on Friday in Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, and Algeria, which were former colonies of France.

In Marawi in southern Philippines, a protest earlier this week was attended by around 1,500 Muslims carrying posters which read "France must apologize" and "You are Charlie, I am Mohamed," The Independent reported.