Gunmen Kill 35 in Attack on Niger’s Main Airport in Niamey

At least 35 people were killed Thursday after gunmen attacked Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, officials said. It is the second assault on Niger’s busiest airport in less than five months.

Residents told the BBC that explosions and gunfire broke out shortly after morning prayers. The airport, which also hosts a military base, sits in the capital of the majority-Muslim country.

*22 Attackers Among the Dead*

Niger’s defence ministry said the death toll includes 22 assailants, 11 soldiers, and two civilians. Four other attackers were wounded and 20 suspects have been arrested.

By mid-morning, fighting had ended. Security forces have since launched a manhunt for any remaining gunmen.

*JNIM Claims Responsibility*

Al-Qaeda affiliate Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) claimed Thursday evening that it carried out the attack.

Niger has battled an Islamist insurgency for a decade. In January, a group linked to the Islamic State said it was behind another attack on the same airport that injured four military personnel and left 20 attackers dead.

*“We Heard a Loud Bang”*

Lawalli Tsalha, who lives near the airport, told the BBC the violence began just after prayers.

“We finished our prayer at about 05:50 and shortly afterwards we heard a loud bang – like something had exploded, perhaps a tyre. It was only a little later that we realised what was happening,” he said.

*Weapons Seized, Civilians Join Manhunt*

Authorities said they recovered a large cache of weapons, including RPG-7 launchers, AK-47 rifles, explosives, grenades, communications equipment, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Armed residents also joined the search for attackers, though witnesses said security forces tried to keep civilians from getting involved.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said the gunmen blended in with locals, making them hard to track. “Civilians picked up machetes and sticks to defend themselves and to strike anyone they did not recognise who came their way,” the resident said.

The area around the airport was locked down Thursday afternoon, with security forces searching all vehicles moving in and out.

*AU Condemns Attack*

African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf condemned the assault and commended Nigerien forces for repelling the attackers and securing the airport.

*Strategic Airport Targeted Again*

Diori Hamani International Airport is one of Niger’s most sensitive sites. It serves as a civilian aviation hub and a military base. It also houses facilities tied to the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which includes Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. All three are led by juntas that took power amid years of jihadist violence.

In recent weeks, Nigerien authorities demolished neighborhoods near the airport over “terrorist risks.” The airport’s perimeter fence has been extended and more than 350 surveillance cameras installed, AFP reports.

During the January attack, Niger’s military leader Abdourahamane Tiani thanked Russia for helping foil the assault and accused the presidents of France, Benin, and Ivory Coast of backing those responsible. He did not provide evidence for the claims.