Keypoints:
- Niger’s junta claims foreign-backed plot behind Niamey airport attack
- France, Benin and Cote d’Ivoire named without evidence
- Assault underscores deepening Sahel security and diplomatic crisis
HEAVY gunfire and loud explosions rocked Niger’s capital late Wednesday after attackers targeted a military base located at Diori Hamani International Airport, prompting swift intervention by security forces and heightening regional tensions.
Residents across Niamey reported sustained bursts of automatic fire and several loud blasts near the airport complex shortly before midnight. By early Thursday morning, calm had largely returned, though a heavy military presence remained around the site.
Two security sources told Reuters the incident appeared to be a coordinated terrorist-style assault, although no group has formally claimed responsibility.
Why this attack matters
The attack marks one of the most serious security incidents in Niger’s capital since the 2023 military coup and comes amid worsening relations between the junta and Western governments. It also highlights the growing fragility of Sahel security as military-led states pivot away from France while facing escalating jihadist threats and rising diplomatic isolation.
Junta leader accuses foreign powers
Speaking on state television following a visit to the airport base, Niger’s military ruler General Abdourahamane Tiani accused France, Benin and Cote d’Ivoire of sponsoring the attack.
‘We have heard them bark. They should be ready to hear us roar,’ Tiani said, addressing the nation in a fiery speech that offered no evidence to support the claims.
Officials in Paris, Cotonou and Abidjan were not immediately available for comment.
The accusations further strain Niger’s relations with its neighbours and former allies, many of which have already deteriorated sharply since the coup removed the country’s civilian government.
Russian forces praised by junta
Tiani publicly thanked Russian troops stationed at the base for their role in repelling the attackers, underlining Niger’s growing reliance on Moscow for military support.
Since expelling French and other Western forces, Niger has strengthened defence cooperation with Russia, including the deployment of Russian military personnel following the withdrawal of Wagner Group operatives last year.
The junta has portrayed the partnership as essential to national security, even as violence linked to extremist groups affiliated with Islamic State and al-Qaeda continues to expand across the country.
Aircraft damaged, no civilian casualties reported
While no civilian deaths were officially reported, the assault caused damage to several aircraft parked at the airport.
Pan-African carrier ASKY Airlines said two of its planes sustained minor impacts during the attack. Air Cote d’Ivoire separately confirmed that one of its aircraft suffered damage to its fuselage and wing. All crew and passengers were unharmed.
Flights were temporarily disrupted as security forces secured the area, though airport operations resumed gradually later on Thursday.
Uranium stockpile remained intact
The airport base also houses a sensitive stockpile of uranium yellowcake that was relocated there after Niger’s junta seized control of the Somair mine from French nuclear firm Orano in 2024.
Sources familiar with the site told Reuters the uranium materials were not damaged during the attack, easing immediate fears over nuclear security.
The seizure of Orano’s assets had already inflamed relations between Niamey and Paris, adding to diplomatic rifts that have widened across the Sahel.
A widening Sahel fault line
Niger’s political shift mirrors developments in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, where military governments have similarly expelled French forces and embraced Russian security partnerships.
Together, the three countries have withdrawn from the regional bloc ECOWAS and formed the Alliance of Sahel States, arguing that traditional Western-backed security frameworks failed to contain insurgent violence.
Analysts warn that the airport attack — and the junta’s unverified accusations — risk deepening regional mistrust at a time when cross-border cooperation is increasingly fragile.
For many residents of Niamey, the overnight explosions were a stark reminder that despite changes in leadership and alliances, insecurity remains deeply entrenched.
