Niamey Airport Attacked Again: 11 Soldiers, Two Civilians and 22 Gunmen Killed, Defence Ministry Says
Gunmen stormed the international airport in Niamey early Thursday, the second such assault this year, as the junta-led country struggles to contain an escalating jihadist insurgency. Niger's defence ministry said 11 soldiers, two civilians and 22 attackers were killed.
What happened
Explosions and sustained gunfire echoed from the Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, Niger, starting around 5 or 6 a.m. local time on 18 June. Residents described hearing heavy weapons fire near the airport's main gate and checkpoint. The attack lasted about 30 minutes, though sporadic shooting was still audible nearly two hours later, according to witnesses. Security forces quickly blocked off the area and by mid-morning the airport was fully secured.
Hearing shots like that, we were really scared.
Abdoulaye Mamane, a taxi driver living half a mile from the airport, said he woke his wife and children. "I don't want anything to happen to my family. We'll have to leave the neighbourhood," he told The New York Times.
- Attack begins at Niamey airport with explosions and gunfire near main gate.
- Sporadic shooting still audible two hours after initial blasts; area blocked off.
- Airport fully secured and cordoned; later reported to remain open for traffic.
Casualties and official response
The defence ministry released figures on Thursday: 11 soldiers, two civilians and 22 assailants were killed. A researcher with the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project had earlier told the Times that seven attackers and several police officers died, and a Nigerian special forces officer put the toll at 18 assailants killed after they shot three members of the armed forces. The airport remained open to air traffic once the area was secured, the ministry added.
Jihadist insurgency in the Sahel
No group immediately claimed responsibility. The attack bore hallmarks of the regional Islamic State affiliate, which did claim a January strike on the same site, or of Al Qaeda's local branch, according to researcher Héni Nsaibia. Niger, led by a military junta since the 2023 coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, is one of three Sahel nations battling fierce jihadist violence alongside Mali and Burkina Faso. In the earlier January assault, Nigerien and allied Russian forces repelled attackers who arrived on motorcycles; four soldiers were wounded, and ammunition stores caught fire.
Security measures and civic mobilisation
After the January attack, the government demolished thousands of illegally built homes near the airport, claiming jihadists had infiltrated the district. The perimeter wall was extended and more than 350 cameras installed. On Thursday, residents armed with sticks and machetes gathered in apparent support of the military, echoing a December state decree ordering citizens to help defend the country.
These events remind us that the war on terror is also a war of resilience, unity and national determination. More than ever, every citizen is called to rally behind the defence and security forces, to reject psychosis and to be responsible in sharing information.
