35 killed in attack on Niger's largest airport

Thirty-five people have been killed after gunmen struck Niger's largest airport on Thursday, officials say - the second attack in less than five months.

Residents in the predominately Muslim country told the BBC they had just finished their morning prayers when explosions and gunshot sounds rang out from Diori Hamani international airport, located in the capital, Niamey.

Niger has been fighting an Islamist insurgency for a decade and in January, an organisation linked to the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for an attack on the same airport.

Lawalli Tsalha, who lives near the airport, which also hosts a military base, told the BBC: "We finished our prayer at about 05:50 (04:50 GMT) and shortly afterwards we heard a loud bang - like something had exploded, perhaps a tyre.

"It was only a little later that we realised what was happening."

One resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "The attackers mixed in with the local population, so finding them was not easy. Civilians picked up machetes and sticks to defend themselves and to strike anyone they did not recognise who came their way."

All three countries are run by juntas which came to power in part because of a failure to deal with years of jihadist violence in the region.

At the time, the head of Niger's military government, which has been in power for three years, thanked Russia for its help in foiling the attack. Abdourahamane Tiani also accused the presidents of France, Benin and Ivory Coast of backing those responsible.