Deadly attack at Niamey airport claims 13 lives in Niger

On Thursday morning, assailants, some reportedly equipped with explosive belts, attempted a violent incursion into the Niamey airport terminal. This latest assault resulted in the deaths of at least eleven soldiers and two civilians, marking another significant incident at Niger’s capital airport. It comes just six months after a prior extensive offensive, which the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for.

Niger has been under military rule for nearly three years, with the junta facing persistent challenges in containing the widespread jihadist violence plaguing the nation. The Niamey airport and its adjacent military base were previously targeted in late January by a large-scale attack, which the Nigerien army successfully repelled after several hours of intense confrontation.

The Ministry of Defense confirmed in a national television statement that the attackers, some carrying explosive belts, attempted to breach the airport terminal on Thursday morning. However, the rapid response from security forces thwarted their efforts to gain access to the main terminal building.

The provisional casualty report from this treacherous incursion indicates a heavy toll: 13 members of the security forces and two civilians tragically lost their lives, with four others sustaining injuries. On the side of the attackers, 22 assailants were neutralized, and approximately twenty suspects have been apprehended. The Ministry also assured the public that a comprehensive operation by defense and security forces is currently underway, affirming that “the situation is under control” and the “international airport, now fully secured, remains open for air traffic.” Despite these assurances, flight tracking data shows that several flights destined for Niamey were either diverted or delayed.

Sensitive location

Local residents reported that the initial gunfire erupted around 6:00 AM (05:00 GMT) on Thursday morning and continued for at least two hours. The exchange of fire occurred at a checkpoint along the sole access road to the airport, merely a few hundred meters from the terminal entrance. Information indicates that armed assailants arrived at the police checkpoint in taxis before encountering fierce resistance from the security forces. By approximately 10:00 AM (09:00 GMT), calm had returned to the area. The attackers reportedly dispersed into surrounding neighborhoods, where security forces are now conducting extensive search operations.

Many assailants were killed, and others were captured with assistance from the local population, a detail corroborated by a local taxi-moto driver. This incident follows less than six months after the January 29th attack, which deeply impacted Niger as it marked the first time jihadists had targeted the capital’s airport. That previous assault resulted in four injuries and considerable material damage, according to authorities. The site is considered highly sensitive, having housed a significant shipment of uranium concentrate between December and January, awaiting export. No movement of this cargo has been reported since. General Abdourahamane Tiani, the leader of the military regime that seized power in a July 2023 coup, previously acknowledged a “security lapse” that facilitated the January attack, stating its objective was to “destroy all the army’s aerial capabilities.”

In recent weeks, the regime had initiated a major campaign to clear neighborhoods surrounding the airport and implemented additional security measures. These included extending the perimeter wall and installing over 350 surveillance cameras both inside and outside the airport grounds.