Gunfire Erupts Near Niger Capital Airport

Residents of Niger's capital, Niamey, reported hearing gunfire early Thursday morning originating from the vicinity of the Diori Hamani International Airport. The sounds of shooting began around 6 a.m. local time and persisted for at least two hours, according to witnesses who spoke to AFP.

The incident occurred several months after a major jihadist attack targeted the same airport in January. That assault, claimed by the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS), was a significant escalation, as jihadist violence had previously been largely confined to other regions of Niger. Nigerien armed forces, with the support of allied Russian fighters, successfully repelled the January attack.

“

I heard the first shots around 6 o’clock (0500 GMT). The shooting was coming from the airport entrance, and was continuing two hours later.

Following the January incident, authorities demolished thousands of illegally constructed homes in a neighborhood near the airport, citing concerns that the area had been used by jihadists to infiltrate the facility. Niger has been grappling with violence from armed groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group for the past decade, primarily in its vast Sahel region.

This latest gunfire near the airport raises concerns about the ongoing security challenges in the country, particularly in its capital. The proximity to the airport, a critical piece of infrastructure, and the timing, months after a major terrorist incident, underscore the persistent threat of instability in the region.

“

The gunfire was coming from the airport entrance.