Explosions and sustained gunfire reported at Niger airport

Soldiers have been searching for militants around the main airport and military airbase in Niger's capital Niamey.

It comes after sustained gunfire ​and explosions were reported on Thursday morning.

A security source described it as an apparent attack on the facility.

Security forces are understood to have since blocked off the area, with only sporadic ​firing reported as of midday, possibly linked to the army's operations.

There was no immediate claim of ​responsibility for the attack. A Niger government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Housed in the same complex, the civilian terminal and the military airbase are situated ​opposite one another.

It's the second attack on Diori Hamani International Airport this year, with the Islamic State affiliate in the region ⁠claiming responsibility for an attack in January, which had targeted Niger's drone assets.

At the time, the group said it had "delivered a direct blow" to the country's counterinsurgency operations.

Niger, led by a military junta since a 2023 coup, has struggled to contain deadly jihadi violence that has battered parts of Africa's Sahel region, including neighbours Burkina Faso and Mali that are also run by military juntas.

Attacks from jihadist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State ‌have killed thousands and displaced millions across the three countries.

Explosions at dawn

The first explosions were heard at around 6am local time on Thursday, and sporadic gunfire was still audible nearly two hours later, a Reuters witness said.

Assailants arrived at the airport in ⁠two white vehicles, a second security source in Niger said.

A third ​security source said a group of attackers was hiding in a ​customs building near the airport.

At least four security officers were killed ​in the fighting, as well as several of the assailants, a fourth security source said.

An Associated Press journalist said soldiers were searching people on the road to the airport in the aftermath of the gunfire.

The 'symbolism' of the airport makes it a key target

The airport is a strategic hub, which as well as hosting a Nigerian air force base, is also the headquarters of the Niger-Burkina Faso-Mali joint military force.

The military has increased airport security following the January attack, but jihadis in Niger and the wider region continue to pose serious threats, according to analysts.

"The symbolism of the airport as headquarters for AES will drive intent by militants to target it," said Beverly Ochieng, a senior security analyst at Control Risks, referring to the regional Alliance of Sahel States.

On ⁠Wednesday, militants launched coordinated attacks on Banibangou and Inates military bases located in the western Tillaberi region, according to security sources.

One security source put the death ⁠toll in Banibangou at 10 with more than 40 ​injured, and said that the military had abandoned its base in Inates.

It was not ​immediately clear how the attacks may have been linked to the explosions and fighting in Niamey.

(c) Sky News 2026: Explosions and sustained gunfire reported at Niger airport