Niger government claims control after failed coup attempt

Niger's military government has asserted that it is progressively re-establishing control following an armed attack that targeted Niamey's Air Base 101 and the Presidential Palace early Saturday. A source close to the ruling regime described the events as a "failed coup attempt."

In a televised address, the government urged citizens to remain calm. It characterized the incident as an effort by a faction of soldiers to abduct military personnel and engage in shooting at "sensitive locations" within Niamey. The statement, signed by Defense Minister General Salifou Mody, indicated that the "rapid reaction of the armed and security forces" had contained the unrest and allowed for the gradual recovery of control over the affected sites.

Details regarding casualties or the specific individuals or groups behind the attack remain scarce. The government's statement broadly referred to "a group of soldiers" without providing further identification. This incident occurs within the context of Niger being governed by a military junta led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani, who seized power in July 2023.

This is not the first security challenge at the Diori Hamani Airport and Air Base 101. The location was previously targeted in January 2026 by an attack later claimed by the Islamic State, and again in June of the same year by an assault attributed to a group affiliated with Al Qaeda.