Gunmen attacked the Diori Hamani International Airport and military airbase in Niamey, Niger, early Thursday. The assault resulted in the deaths of 11 soldiers and two civilians, while security forces killed 22 of the attackers. Niger's Defense Ministry stated that the attack was foiled and that 20 suspects were arrested along with weapons and ammunition.
Witnesses reported explosions and gunfire during the violence, and soldiers were seen searching individuals on the road to the airport following the clash. Despite the intensity of the assault, the National Civil Aviation Agency announced that the airport was operating normally hours later.
This incident marks the second attack on the airport this year, following a similar assault in January that targeted drone assets and was claimed by the Islamic State. The airport serves as a strategic hub, hosting a Nigerien air force base and the headquarters for the joint military force of the Alliance of Sahel States, comprising Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali.
Niger has been led by a military junta since a 2023 coup and continues to struggle with deadly jihadi violence across the Sahel region. While one report indicates a militant group claimed responsibility for the Thursday assault, other statements indicated no claim had been made, though Islamists are suspected.