NIGER · COUP ATTEMPT
Key Facts
—What happened: Heavy gunfire and explosions shook Niamey overnight from Friday into Saturday, centred on Base 101, an air force base inside Diori Hamani International Airport, and on the presidential palace district.
—The government’s account: The defence ministry said dissident soldiers took officers hostage at the base and fired on “sensitive sites”. State television later described an attempted coup by young soldiers and said it had been defeated.
—The toll: State media and the Associated Press reported dozens of soldiers killed or arrested. No official casualty figure has been published.
