Deadly Niamey airport attack claims lives in Niger

A recent Niamey airport attack in Niger’s capital has tragically claimed the lives of at least eleven soldiers and two civilians. This marks the second such assault attributed to presumed jihadists in six months, following a previous offensive in late January claimed by the Islamic State group. For nearly three years, Niger has been under the leadership of a military junta struggling to contain the escalating jihadist violence impacting the nation. The January attack on Niamey airport and its adjacent military base, a multi-hour siege, was eventually repelled by the Nigerien army and its Russian partners.

On Thursday morning, the attackers, some reportedly wearing explosive belts, attempted to breach the Niamey airport terminal. However, the swift reaction of the security forces successfully prevented the assailants from reaching their target within the terminal building, as confirmed by the Ministry of Defense in a statement broadcast on national television.

The provisional assessment of this treacherous incursion indicates a grim toll: thirteen martyrs on the friendly side, comprising eleven members of the defense and security forces and two civilians, along with four wounded. On the enemy side, twenty-two assailants were neutralized, and approximately twenty suspects were apprehended. The Ministry further stated that a comprehensive operation by the defense and security forces is currently underway, affirming that “the situation is under control” and the “international airport, fully secured, remains open to air traffic.” Despite this assurance, the specialized flight tracking website Flightradar noted that several flights bound for Niamey were diverted or delayed.

Residents reported that the initial gunfire erupted around 6:00 AM (05:00 GMT) on Thursday, continuing for at least two hours. The exchange of fire occurred at a checkpoint along the sole access road to the airport, mere hundreds of meters from the terminal entrance. According to an airport source, the armed attackers arrived at the police cordon in taxis, where they were met with fierce resistance from the security forces. Calm was restored in the area by approximately 10:00 AM (09:00 GMT). The same airport source indicated that the assailants dispersed into surrounding neighborhoods, prompting extensive search operations by security forces.

Many assailants were killed, and others were captured with the assistance of the local population, a detail corroborated by a local motorcycle taxi driver. This incident follows less than six months after the January 29 attack, which deeply impacted Niger as the capital’s airport was targeted by jihadists for the first time. That earlier assault resulted in four injuries and significant material damage, according to authorities. The site is considered highly sensitive: between December and January, it housed a substantial shipment of uranium concentrate awaiting export, with no identified movement of this cargo since. General Abdourahamane Tiani, leader of the military regime that came to power in a July 2023 coup, had previously acknowledged a “flaw in the system” that allowed the attack, stating its objective was to “destroy all aerial capabilities” of the army.

In recent weeks, the regime had initiated a major campaign involving the demolition of neighborhoods surrounding the airport and implemented additional security measures. These included extending the perimeter wall around the airport and installing over 350 cameras both inside and outside the facility to enhance Niamey airport security.