Explosions and gunfire erupt at Niamey airport

Explosions and sustained gunfire erupted at the main airport and an adjoining military airbase in Niger’s capital, Niamey, early on Thursday morning, June 18, 2026, in what security sources described as an apparent armed attack. Witnesses reported the first explosions around 6 a.m. local time, with sporadic gunfire still audible nearly two hours later as security forces blocked off the area and responded.

A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said gunmen had breached the airport’s security perimeter, leading to an exchange of fire. Soldiers were later seen searching people on roads leading to the facility in the aftermath. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault.

This incident marks the second major attack this year on Diori Hamani International Airport, a strategic hub that hosts a Nigerien air force base and serves as the headquarters for the joint military force of the Alliance of Sahel States, a coalition comprising Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali. In January, the Islamic State affiliate in the Sahel claimed responsibility for a similar assault, stating it had targeted air command headquarters and drone assets. Niger’s Defence Ministry...