At least 35 people have been killed after gunmen attacked Niger’s main international airport in the capital, Niamey, in a pre-dawn assault that officials say is the second such attack in under five months.
The country’s defence ministry said the dead included 22 attackers, 11 soldiers and two civilians after fighting broke out around Diori Hamani International Airport, which also hosts a military base.
Residents said the attack began shortly after morning prayers, when explosions and gunfire were heard across the area.
“We finished our prayer at about 05:50 and shortly afterwards we heard a loud bang,” said one local resident, Lawalli Tsalha. “It was only a little later that we realised what was happening.”
On Thursday evening, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), claimed responsibility for the attack. Niger has faced a decade-long Islamist insurgency, with both JNIM and Islamic State-linked groups active in the region.
Security forces later launched a manhunt for remaining attackers as the situation stabilised by mid-morning. Authorities also recovered weapons including rocket-propelled grenades, assault rifles, explosives and communications equipment.
Witnesses said civilians briefly joined security forces in searching for attackers, though some were later told to stand down.
The airport, a key strategic site used for both civilian flights and military operations, also hosts facilities linked to the Alliance of Sahel States, comprising Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
The attack comes amid heightened insecurity in the region. In January, militants also targeted the same airport, injuring several soldiers before being repelled.
Following that earlier incident, Niger’s military leadership accused foreign actors of involvement, including France and some West African states, though no evidence was provided.
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