A major assault targeted the international airport and a nearby military airbase in Niger’s capital, Niamey, early Thursday. The attack, claimed by the Islamic State affiliate active in the Sahel region, involved militants on motorcycles who used heavy weapons and drones in what was described as a coordinated operation.
According to official statements, the assault began shortly after midnight and was directed at the airport and the adjacent air force installation. The engagement resulted in damage to several aircraft, including planes operated by airlines from Ivory Coast and Togo. Personnel from the affected airlines were reported safe, having been accommodated away from the attack site.
Security forces responded to the incursion, with Nigerien authorities stating that twenty assailants were killed and eleven others captured during the operation. An ammunition cache also ignited during the confrontation.
This incident occurs amid heightened regional instability. The same militant group has been linked to several deadly attacks in Niger in recent months. Furthermore, a separate drone attack was reported early Thursday against an army base in northeastern Nigeria, carried out by a different Islamic State affiliate, resulting in multiple casualties.
Niger is currently governed by a military council that took power in mid-2023. The leadership has since withdrawn from the West African regional bloc and formed a new alliance with the neighboring nations of Burkina Faso and Mali, citing a need for a unified front against security threats and accusing some former partners of undermining their sovereignty.
The latest violence underscores the persistent challenge of extremist militancy in the Sahel and the complex political landscape shaping the regional response.
