Gunfire and Explosions Rock Niger Capital as Mutinous Soldiers Target Airport, Presidency

Niger’s capital, Niamey, was rocked by heavy gunfire and explosions early Saturday after armed soldiers reportedly attacked strategic sites including the international airport and areas around the presidential palace, according to security sources and witnesses.

The violence began in the early hours of August 29, with sustained shooting reported around Diori Hamani International Airport and Base 101, a major military installation adjoining the airport. Heavy gunfire was also heard near the presidential palace in Niamey’s Plateau administrative district.

Four sources cited by Reuters described the attackers as mutinous soldiers, although the circumstances surrounding the assault remained unclear and some officials characterized the attackers as “terrorists.” Reuters said it could not independently verify the conflicting accounts.

Nigerien security forces were quickly deployed across the affected areas as authorities moved to contain the violence.

A member of Niger’s Consultative Council and the Alliance of Sahel States parliament, Bana Wagana Ibrahim, said attackers had targeted Base 101 but claimed that government forces had regained control.

“Another cowardly attack on Base 101,” Ibrahim said in a statement, adding that Niger’s defence and security forces had brought the situation under control.

However, witnesses reported that gunfire continued around the airport and presidential area after the initial claims of restored control. Two security sources and a diplomat later told Reuters that the presidential palace appeared to have been secured by loyalist forces, while the area around the airport remained contested.

Niger’s state television and radio were also temporarily taken off the air during the unrest. The government issued a statement calling on citizens to remain calm while security forces mobilised.

The incident represents another major security challenge for General Abdourahamane Tiani, who has ruled Niger since the July 2023 military coup that removed democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

Tiani’s government has struggled to contain jihadist violence despite pledges to improve security. The airport and surrounding military facilities have already been targeted by armed groups this year.

Niger has also significantly changed its foreign and security policy since the coup, distancing itself from Western powers while strengthening relations with Russia and working more closely with neighbouring military-led governments in Mali and Burkina Faso through the Alliance of Sahel States.

The latest violence therefore comes at a particularly sensitive moment for the military government, which faces both persistent jihadist attacks and internal security pressures.

As of the latest reports, there was no confirmed information on casualties, and authorities had not provided a detailed official account identifying those responsible for the attack.