Abidjan (AFP) – Niger's national television was off air on Saturday after a night of heavy gunfire in parts of the capital, including around a military base near the city's airport which has been attacked twice this year by jihadists.
Issued on: 29/08/2026 - 10:48
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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.The origins of Saturday's shooting were not immediately clear but the military said: "In light of current events, let us remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information."Our defence and security forces have been mobilised for the defence of the homeland," it wrote on its official social media pages.One local resident told AFP that there was "heavy gunfire and explosions" at Base 101 in Niamey, a report confirmed by several other witnesses.At 9:00 am (0800 GMT), a black screen had replaced Tele Sahel's programming both via satellite and online. Soldiers blocked access to the presidential palace and national television, residents added.The first shots were heard at about 1:00 am local time (0000 GMT) and continued until daybreak, according to a video published by a local journalist filming the area around the airport.Another local resident said he heard "bursts of gunfire" at about 7:00 am local time."I went to get credit for my phone. I saw a military vehicle heading towards the base that had to turn back," he added."The weapons we're hearing are not the kind that terrorists on motorbikes can carry. The fighting has been non-stop since last night."Another resident in the west of Niamey said he heard sporadic small arms fire at about 5:00 am.Several social media posts also reported shooting and explosions in the city, particularly in the administrative area where the presidential palace and national television station are located.Videos online showed armoured vehicles deployed to reinforce the neighbourhood near the airport.Rival jihadist groupsNiamey airport has been targeted twice this year by jihadists, first by the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS) in January, then in late June by their rivals the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), the Sahel branch of Al-Qaeda.
