Sustained heavy gunfire and explosions rang out across several areas of Niamey, Niger's capital, overnight into early Saturday morning.
Reports indicate that shots were heard near the presidential palace and around the Diori Hamani International Airport. The airport, situated near a military base, has already been attacked twice by jihadists this year.
The incident marks the latest threat to the rule of Abdourahamane Tiani. Niger is ruled by a military junta, similar to its neighbors Mali and Burkina Faso, and the three countries have struggled to contain jihadi violence in recent years.