Gunfire erupts at Niger's capital airport, site of January jihadist attack

Residents in Niger's capital, Niamey, reported hearing gunfire at the Diori Hamani International Airport early on June 18. The incident occurred just five months after the same airport was targeted in a jihadist attack. One local resident told Agence France-Presse that the first sounds of gunfire, originating from the airport entrance, were heard around 6 a.m. local time. Two hours later, the gunfire was reportedly still ongoing. Another resident confirmed the sounds came from the entrance, which is equipped with a security checkpoint, and multiple residents noted a heavy military presence at the airport.

This latest incident follows a significant attack on January 29, when extremists from the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS) claimed responsibility for assaulting the airport and a military drone base. Niger's armed forces, with Russian allies, repelled the assault, resulting in the deaths of 20 militants and injuries to four Nigerien soldiers, along with property damage. The January attack was considered unusual as previous violence had largely been confined to other regions of the country.

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He heard the first gunshots around 6 a.m. from the airport entrance; two hours later, the gunshots were still continuing.

Niger has been under military rule since a coup in July 2023, but the government has struggled to contain the persistent threat of jihadist insurgencies. The repeated attacks on the capital's main airport underscore the persistent security challenges facing the nation.

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The gunshots came from the entrance, which has a security checkpoint.