Gunfire and explosions were heard overnight near a military base at the international airport in Niger's capital Niamey, which had been attacked twice this year by jihadists, residents told AFP Saturday. Niger has been ruled for three years by a military junta that has struggled to contain jihadist violence, which has blighted the west African country for around a decade. Read moreAl Qaeda-linked jihadists claim deadly attack on Niger airport "There is heavy gunfire and explosions at Base 101 in Niamey," one local resident told AFP, a report confirmed by several other witnesses. Several social media posts also reported shooting and explosions in the city, particularly in the administrative area where the presidential palace and the national television station are located. Videos online showed armoured vehicles deployed to reinforce the neighbourhood near the airport. The origin of the gunfire is still unknown, and no official communication has yet been issued. Rival jihadist groups Niamey airport has been targeted twice this year by jihadists, first by the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS) in January, then again in late June by their rivals the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), the Sahel branch of Al-Qaeda. The rival jihadist groups not only target civilians and the military but are also struggling for dominance over the other in the Sahel, and especially in Niger.