Gunfire and explosions rock Niger's capital

Sustained gunfire and explosions erupted in Niger s capital, Niamey, on Saturday morning following attacks on the city s international airport and a major military base, according to security officials. The origin of the assault remained unclear, but a source claimed "terrorists" had targeted Diori Hamani International Airport and sought to breach the perimeter surrounding the presidential palace.

Witnesses reported intense gunfire around the palace, while shooting resumed near the airport around 2am local time. Bana Ibrahim, a member of Niger s Consultative Council and Alliance of Sahel States, stated that the attackers had struck Base 101, a significant military installation in Niamey. Mr. Ibrahim assured that security forces had regained control of the situation.

Reuters could not independently verify the claims. Another source indicated that security forces had initiated search operations, with some attackers "neutralized" and others fleeing. The military government in Niger, which operates under a junta led by Gen Abdourahamane Tiani, did not comment immediately. Online videos showed several wounded individuals, although no official casualty count has been released.

The attack unfolds as Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso grapple with Islamist insurgencies tied to Al Qaeda and ISIS, despite pledges from their military leaders to restore security. The junta has severed ties with Western allies, bolstered connections with Russia, and joined Mali and Burkina Faso in the Alliance of Sahel States, a break from the West African regional bloc Ecowas.

Niger is a key uranium producer with substantial oil and gold reserves. The violence follows a bitter dispute over the country's uranium sector, as the military government has tightened state control over mining assets previously owned by foreign firms. Recently, the government reassigned uranium permits held by French company Orano and Canadian miner GoviEx to state-owned entities.