Explosions, heavy gunfire near Niger’s main airport in capital

There were loud explosions and heavy gunfire overnight into Thursday morning near the main airport in Niger’s capital, Niamey, residents said, leading to fears of a likely attack by armed groups in the conflict-hit country.
Videos that appear to be from the scene captured loud blasts and the sky glowing following explosions that began around midnight and lasted about two hours in the area of Diori Hamani International Airport, a key hub for the Nigerien military.
The Associated Press could not independently verify the videos that also showed military trucks and fires. It was not immediately confirmed what led to the explosions and gunshots or if there were casualties or damage.
One resident said he learned gunmen attacked the airport but were repelled by soldiers. The resident, who lives in the airport district, spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of his life. The AP could not independently verify the resident’s account.
By Thursday morning, calm had returned to the city and there was heavy security presence along major roads leading to the airport.
Niger’s military junta, which has run the country since a 2023 coup, did not immediately speak about the incident.
The international airport in Niamey houses a military base and has for weeks held a significant shipment of uranium from Niger’s mines that is meant for export.
Niger has struggled to contain deadly jihadi violence that has battered parts of Africa’s Sahel region, where neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali also are run by military juntas.
In 2025, al-Qaida and Islamic State group-backed militants escalated their campaigns in the Sahel, further threatening the stability of the fragile region and of Niger, which was the key security ally of the West in the region until the 2023 coup.
Under the military junta, however, the country has seen a surge in attacks in different regions and has become more vulnerable to the armed groups, experts say.