Niamey: The largest airport in Niger, Diori Hamani International Airport, was attacked by armed groups affiliated with al-Qaeda, resulting in at least 35 deaths. Armed groups linked to JNIM, an al-Qaeda network, launched an assault on a critical security checkpoint near the entrance to the airport in Niamey, the capital of Niger, during the early hours after morning prayers.
According to Thai News Agency, explosions and gunfire were heard intermittently as security forces and soldiers engaged in clashes with the attackers. Local residents and motorcycle taxi drivers armed with sticks and machetes also joined efforts to help authorities surround and pursue the attackers, who attempted to escape into residential areas.
The Niger Ministry of Defense reported that the death toll of 35 included 22 insurgents, 11 Nigerien soldiers, and 2 civilians. Additionally, four insurgents were injured. Authorities arrested approximately 20 suspects and seized a large arsenal of weapons, including RPG-7 rocket launchers, AK-47 rifles, hand grenades, and communication equipment. The National Civil Aviation Administration confirmed that the situation was under control and the airport reopened for international flights by the afternoon, although some flights initially experienced delays or detours.
Diori Hamani Airport serves not only as a civil aviation hub but also as a strategically important military base. The area houses drone attack units, the AES counter-terrorism force (comprising Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso), Russian forces supporting the Nigerien military government, and is also used as a storage facility for the country's uranium reserves.
This incident marks the second attack on the airport in less than five months, following a previous attack by groups linked to the Islamic State in late January. It underscores the escalating unrest and fighting with extremist militants in the Sahel region.