An audacious assault by suspected jihadists on Niamey’s international airport has left eleven soldiers and two civilians dead, marking the latest in a series of violent incursions targeting critical infrastructure in Niger. The attack unfolded Thursday morning, less than six months after a high-profile strike on the same site that exposed vulnerabilities in the country’s security apparatus.
Coordinated assault with explosive belts
The assault began around 06:00 local time, with gunfire erupting near a security checkpoint along the sole access road to the airport—just hundreds of meters from the terminal. Witnesses reported that assailants, some equipped with explosive belts, arrived in taxis and engaged in a prolonged firefight with security forces. According to a ministry of defense statement broadcast on national television, the attackers were attempting to breach the airport terminal when security personnel launched a rapid counteraction.
Casualties and aftermath
The defense ministry confirmed a provisional death toll of 13 on the government side, including 11 members of the defense and security forces and two civilians. Additionally, four individuals were injured. On the assailants’ side, 22 attackers were neutralized, and nearly two dozen suspects were detained. A large-scale security operation is currently underway, though authorities insist the situation is under control and the airport remains operational. However, flight tracking data shows several inbound flights to Niamey were either delayed or rerouted.
Eyewitness accounts
Locals described chaotic scenes as gunfire raged for over two hours before subsiding around 10:00. After the initial confrontation, some attackers dispersed into nearby neighborhoods, prompting extensive search operations by security forces. A source within the airport confirmed that civilians played a role in aiding the capture of fleeing militants, with reports of multiple assailants being detained or neutralized with community support. A motorbike taxi driver in the vicinity corroborated these accounts.
Historical context and security concerns
This incident follows a devastating attack on the same location in late January, when jihadists launched a multi-hour siege on the airport and adjacent military base. That assault, claimed by the Islamic State group, caused significant material damage and left four wounded, but ultimately failed to breach the facility. Authorities later admitted a “gap in the security setup” had enabled the attackers, whose stated goal was to destroy Niger’s aerial capabilities.
In response, the military-led government has implemented stricter measures around the airport, including extending perimeter fencing, installing over 350 surveillance cameras, and conducting large-scale demolitions of nearby informal settlements. Despite these efforts, the airport remains a high-risk target due to its strategic importance, including its role in the storage of a substantial uranium concentrate shipment—currently in limbo pending export.