Niger junta led by General Tiani faces attempted coup

Gunfire has been heard around the presidential palace in Niamey and an air base at the capital's airport. The Niger government reported that a group of soldiers attempted to stage a mutiny overnight into Saturday.

According to the defence minister, General Salifou Mody, the soldiers took several officers hostage at Niamey's Diori Hamani International Airport and the Plateau administrative district. Mody described the alleged mutiny attempt as a "break with discipline and military regulations."

The situation is said to be under control. This incident marks the third attack this year on the international airport, following two earlier assaults by jihadi rebels. Niger has been ruled by a military junta led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani since a 2023 coup.

Brief written by urgent.news from Le Monde English, Times of India — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.