Gunmen Attack Niamey Airport, 35 Killed

An armed attack on the airport in Niger’s capital Niamey killed 11 soldiers and two civilians, the country’s Defense Ministry said. The incident occurred just five months after a previous major assault.

In a statement read on national television on May 2, the Nigerien Defense Ministry said 22 gunmen were also eliminated and around 20 suspects were arrested. Four others were wounded, according to preliminary figures.

Soldiers in Niamey fought the attackers around Diori Hamani International Airport and a nearby air base from early morning on May 2. A source said gunmen linked to an armed group struck around 6 a.m. local time.

An airport employee living near the area told Al Jazeera he heard heavy gunfire and saw a large military deployment while driving to work, forcing him to turn back for safety. Another local source living close to the airport also confirmed hearing intense shelling.

According to AFP, the attackers reached a security checkpoint near the airport “by taxi” and then met “fierce resistance” from security forces. Fighting lasted for hours in the area.

The Nigerien Defense Ministry statement said a “large-scale operation” by the army “is underway and the international airport, which has been fully secured, remains open for air traffic.” By midday, the situation appeared relatively calm, with only sporadic gunfire possibly linked to a military sweep, according to a Reuters witness and two residents.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The airport and air base are part of the same complex, with the base opposite the civilian terminal.

The Islamic State group (ISIS) in the region claimed responsibility for an attack on this complex in January 2025. In that incident, 20 gunmen were killed and four soldiers wounded. ISIS said it targeted the air command headquarters and drone assets.

In recent weeks, Niger’s authorities had begun demolishing thousands of illegally built houses near the airport, citing counter-terrorism concerns. They accused slums of being infiltrated by gunmen. The fence around the airport has been extended, and over 350 security cameras installed inside and outside the perimeter.

Niamey airport is one of Niger’s most strategic military sites. It hosts the G5 Sahel counter-terrorism force, Russian forces, and a drone unit conducting airstrikes against insurgent groups. Niger’s uranium stockpile, which the country is seeking to sell, is also stored at the airport.

Niger, along with its neighbors Mali and Burkina Faso, has struggled to contain attacks from armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL, which have killed thousands and displaced millions across the three nations.