Armed attackers struck the primary airport in Niamey, Niger’s capital, in the early hours of Thursday morning, setting off an exchange of gunfire and explosions, according to witnesses and a security official familiar with the situation.
After the gunmen broke through the airport’s security perimeter, military and security forces were dispatched to push them back, said the official, who was not authorized to speak on the record about the incident. Who carried out the attack remained unclear in the immediate aftermath.
A journalist with the Associated Press on the scene reported that soldiers were stopping and searching people along the road leading to the airport following the shooting.
This marks the second assault on Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey this year. In January, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a comparable attack that specifically targeted Niger’s drone military assets.
Niger has been governed by a military junta since a coup in 2023 and has faced ongoing difficulties in curbing deadly extremist violence sweeping through Africa’s Sahel region. Neighboring countries Burkina Faso and Mali, also under military rule, have faced similar threats.
The airport holds significant strategic importance, serving as the home of a Nigerien air force base and the headquarters of a joint military force involving Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali.
Despite increased security measures put in place after the January attack, analysts warn that jihadist groups in Niger and throughout the broader region remain a serious and persistent danger.
Beverly Ochieng, a senior security analyst at Control Risks, explained the airport’s appeal as a target: “The symbolism of the airport as headquarters for AES will drive intent by militants to target it,” referring to the regional Alliance of Sahel States.
