Gunfire echoed for several hours around the international airport in Niger’s capital, Niamey, early Thursday, raising fresh security concerns months after a major jihadist attack targeted the strategic facility.
Residents said the shooting began around dawn near the entrance to Diori Hamani International Airport and continued for several hours before calm was restored later in the morning.
Witnesses reported a heavy deployment of security personnel around the airport, with access to the facility temporarily restricted.
According to residents, the gunfire appeared to originate from the airport entrance and nearby security checkpoints. Some also reported the presence of suspected assailants in neighbourhoods close to the airport, prompting security forces to launch clearance operations in the area.
One resident said military personnel moved into surrounding communities to search for suspects, while local residents reportedly assisted security forces.
The incident comes five months after a major attack on the airport and an adjoining military drone base. In January, armed fighters claimed by the Islamic State in the Sahel launched an assault on the facility, which was repelled by Nigerien forces and their Russian allies.
Authorities said 20 attackers were killed and four soldiers wounded during that operation.
The head of Niger’s ruling military junta, Abdourahamane Tiani, had previously acknowledged security lapses that enabled the January attack, which he said was aimed at destroying the country’s air capabilities.
In response to growing security concerns, authorities have expanded airport security measures in recent months, including extending perimeter fencing, installing hundreds of surveillance cameras and demolishing informal settlements near the airport that officials said posed security risks.
Niger, alongside neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali, continues to face persistent attacks from groups linked to both Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State despite military-led efforts to contain the insurgency.
Authorities had not issued an official statement on Thursday’s incident at the time of reporting.
