June 18, 2026
Gunfire rang out for several hours at the airport in Niger’s capital, Niamey, early on Thursday, residents said, five months after jihadists launched a large attack at the sensitive site.
Niger has been ruled for three years by a military junta which has struggled to contain jihadist violence that has rocked the west African country for around a decade.
The firing had stopped and calm was restored by mid-morning but residents said a large military presence had been put in place at the airport.
“I heard the first shots around 6 o’clock (0500 GMT). The shooting was coming from the airport entrance,” a resident told AFP by telephone.
