At least eleven members of Niger’s security forces and two civilians lost their lives in a brazen assault on Niamey’s international airport, the latest in a string of jihadist assaults targeting the nation’s fragile stability.
Eyewitnesses described a coordinated strike beginning shortly after sunrise. Gunfire erupted near a perimeter checkpoint along the sole access road to the terminal, less than 500 meters from the main entrance. Assailants, some wearing explosive vests, arrived in taxis, clashing with police before being repelled by a swift military response.
official military statement
In a televised address, the Ministry of Defence confirmed the provisional toll: 13 fatalities on the government side—11 security personnel and 2 civilians—along with 4 wounded. Military forces neutralized 22 attackers and detained nearly two dozen suspects during subsequent operations.
The statement stressed that the airport remains fully operational despite the chaos. Yet flight tracking data revealed multiple diversions and delays for inbound services. Authorities deployed additional patrols around the facility and surrounding neighborhoods, where assailants fled amid intense security sweeps.
recent security upgrades
The assault follows a January 29 strike that also targeted the airport and adjacent military base. Then, the regime acknowledged a security breach that allowed attackers to target air assets. General Abdourahamane Tiani, leader of the post-coup administration, vowed to strengthen defenses, including extending perimeter walls and installing over 350 surveillance cameras.
Local residents reported intense gunfire lasting roughly two hours before calm returned. Taxi drivers confirmed seeing armed men scattered across nearby districts, hunted by joint patrols.
The government described the assault as a desperate attempt to cripple Niger’s aerial capabilities. The incident underscores the ongoing struggle to contain violent extremism that has gripped the Sahel region for years.
