Niger junta says it is back in control after soldiers' mutiny

Niger's military junta declared it had regained control after soldiers initiated armed clashes in the country's capital, Niamey, on Saturday. The unrest began around midnight, with soldiers blocking access to the presidential palace and disrupting the state broadcaster, Tele Sahel. The presidential guard, with assistance from Russian forces, managed to recapture the air base within the airport complex, killing some of the mutineers.

Fighting largely subsided later in the day, though a regional security source and an African diplomatic source indicated that the rebellious troops still held two barracks near Niamey at the time. The junta's statement on state television confirmed that it was gradually taking back control after hours of clashes.