Gunmen attack the main airport in Niamey, Niger’s capital, triggering explosions and sustained gunfire early on Thursday, according to multiple reports citing witnesses and local accounts. Gunfire is reported to start at around 6 a.m. and continues for at least an hour, with some descriptions indicating several hours of fighting. Residents near the airport say security forces block off the area as fighting unfolds.
Several outlets report that Nigerien troops repel the assault and that forces launch a pursuit of fleeing attackers after the gunmen are driven back. A number of reports also note that the Niamey airport is targeted again this year, referring to an earlier attack that was successfully repelled by Niger’s armed forces.
Background coverage places the incident within Niger’s broader security context, noting that the country has been led by a military junta since a 2023 coup and continues to struggle with deadly jihadist violence across parts of the Sahel region. While casualty figures are not consistently provided across the sources, the overall accounts agree on the nature of the attack, the timing, and the immediate security response.
