ArmedAssault Rocks Niger’s Capital Airport Amid Explosions and Gunfire

Armed assailants targeted the main airport in Niamey, Niger, detonating explosions and engaging in gunfire.

DAKAR, Senegal — Gunmen assaulted the main airport in Niamey early Thursday, sparking intense firefights and blasts, according to witnesses and a security source.

Security forces were mobilized to repel the attack after the assailants breached the airport’s perimeter, said the official, who requested anonymity. The attackers’ identities remain unclear.

An Associated Press reporter observed soldiers conducting roadside checks on the route to the airport following the gunfire.

This marked the second assault on Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey this year, following an Islamic State claim of responsibility for a January attack that specifically targeted Niger’s drone infrastructure.

Since the 2023 coup, Niger has been grappling with escalating jihadist violence that has destabilized the Sahel, affecting neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali, both also under military rule.

The facility serves as a strategic hub, housing a Nigerien air force base and the command center of the Niger‑Burkina Faso‑Mali joint military force.

In response to the January attack, the military has reinforced airport security, yet analysts warn that jihadist elements in Niger and the broader region continue to pose a significant threat.

“The airport’s role as the headquarters for the Sahelian alliance makes it a prime target for militants, analysts say,” said Beverly Ochieng, a senior security analyst at Control Risks, referring to the regional coalition.

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