Gunfire at Niger Airport Repelled by Army
Quick Look
- Gunfire was heard at Niger's airport early Thursday, with witnesses reporting the sounds originated from the entrance.
- The army reportedly repelled the attack, and is now pursuing the fleeing assailants.
- No group has claimed responsibility, but an IS affiliate attacked the same airport in January.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Niger has been battling a militant Islamist insurgency for a decade. The country is governed by a military junta that rose to power partly due to perceived failures in combating violence.
I heard the first gunshots at 06:00 (05:00 local time) while I was at the mosque. But the current situation is under control," one person said.
The gunfire was coming from the entrance to the airport, two witnesses told the AFP news agency.
Niger has been fighting a militant Islamist insurgency for a decade and in January suspected jihadists launched an attack on the same airport. Like its neighbours, Burkina Faso and Mali, Niger is run by a military junta that came to power in part because of the failure to deal with the violence.
Residents have told the BBC that Thursday's attack was repelled by the army, which is now hunting down the fleeing assailants who reportedly abandoned their weapons.
The authorities have not yet commented and no group has said it was responsible. But an affiliate to the Islamic State group said it had carried out January's assault.
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Open Questions
- Which group is responsible for the attack?
- What was the extent of the damage or casualties?
