Gunfire Erupts at Niger's Niamey Airport; 13 Killed in Attack
Niamey, Niger — An attack on the airport and military airbase in Niger's capital, Niamey, killed 11 members of the security forces and two civilians, the government said in a statement read on state television. The ministry of defence said 22 assailants were also killed and about 20 suspects were apprehended, with assorted weapons seized.
The attack began early Thursday morning, with residents reporting the first explosions at around 6 a.m. local time (0500 GMT). Gunfire and explosions lasted for more than an hour, and sporadic shooting was still audible nearly two hours later, according to witnesses. Security forces sealed off the area and placed the capital on heightened alert.
The airport, officially Diori Hamani International Airport, shares a complex with a military airbase and also serves as the headquarters of Niger's air force and the joint military force tasked with fighting jihadists in the region, according to Deutsche Welle.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for Thursday's attack. The January assault on the same facility was claimed by the Islamic State group affiliate in the region, and authorities had said that district had been infiltrated by jihadists, leading to the demolition of thousands of illegally built homes near the airport.
Niger, like its Sahel neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso, has struggled to contain attacks from jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State, which have killed thousands and displaced millions across the three countries, according to multiple reports.
A government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the defence ministry statement said the airport remained open to air traffic and that normal operations had resumed, according to the South China Morning Post.
By midday, the situation appeared mostly calm, with only sporadic gunfire possibly linked to the army's sweeping operations, a Reuters witness and two residents said.