Soldiers in Niger conducted searches around the airport and the military airbase that share a common complex in the capital Niamey after explosions and sustained gunfire were heard on Thursday, according to security sources and eyewitness accounts. The attack unfolded in the early morning and by midday the area had largely calmed, though sporadic shots were still audible and security forces continued to block access to the site.
Witnesses and residents said the first blasts were heard at about 6 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and that intermittent gunfire continued for nearly two hours following the initial explosions. A Reuters witness said the scene was mostly calm by noon (1100 GMT), with occasional firing that appeared linked to sweeping operations by the army.
Security sources described the arrival of assailants in two white vehicles. One source said a group of attackers was sheltering inside a customs building located near the airport. There was no immediate public claim of responsibility for the attack and a Niger government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The civilian airport and the military airbase are contained within the same facility, with the base positioned opposite the passenger terminal. Security sources reported at least four security officers were killed during the fighting, and that several of the assailants were also killed.
Separately, security sources said militants had launched coordinated attacks the previous day on military bases in the western Tillaberi region. The assaults targeted Banibangou and Inates bases. One security source placed the death toll in Banibangou at 10 with more than 40 people injured, and said the military had abandoned its base in Inates. It was not immediately clear whether and how those incidents were connected to the explosions and ensuing fighting in Niamey.
The Islamic State affiliate operating in the region previously claimed responsibility for an attack on the same complex in January, saying at that time it had targeted air command headquarters and drone assets and had delivered a direct blow to the country’s counterinsurgency operations. For the current incident, however, no group had claimed the attack at the time of reporting.
Timeline and reported facts
- The first explosions were reported around 6 a.m. local time (0500 GMT).
- Sporadic gunfire continued for nearly two hours after the initial blasts.
- Assailants arrived in two white vehicles, according to a security source.
- A group of attackers was reported to be hiding in a customs building near the airport.
- At least four security officers were killed and several assailants were also killed, per security sources.
- Security forces blocked off the airport complex and conducted sweeping operations; calm largely returned by noon (1100 GMT) though isolated firing remained.
Context from prior incidents
The Islamic State affiliate in the region had claimed responsibility for a prior attack on the same complex in January, describing strikes on air command headquarters and drone assets. The country, along with neighbouring Sahel states, has faced persistent attacks by jihadist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State that have produced widespread casualties and displacement across the region, according to security sources cited in reporting.
Reporting limitations
The accounts in this report are based on Reuters witnesses and multiple security sources. The Niger government did not immediately provide comment when contacted, and there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the early-morning attack in Niamey at the time information was gathered.