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Gunfire and loud blasts have been heard at the main airport in the Nigerien capital of Niamey, according to the Reuters news agency and an independent source.
A witness told Reuters they heard explosions just after midnight. The airport is next to Base Aérienne 101, a military base previously used by American and then Russian troops.
A source with the Togolese airline Asky told the Guardian that gunshots made several holes in the fuselage of its two planes on the tarmac of Niamey airport. Staff were at their hotel at the time but remained stranded in the country.
“They destroyed both aircraft … they left evidence at the scene,” the source said.
It remains unclear who fired the shots or whether there were any casualties. Authorities in Niger have yet to comment on the situation.
In July 2023, Niger’s presidential guard, led by Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani, overthrew the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, marking the seventh successful coup in west and central Africa in three years at that point. There has been at least one successful coup and two failed attempts in the region since then.
The junta suspended the constitution and faced international condemnation and aid cuts. After the Economic Community of West African States imposed sanctions and threatened military intervention, Niger withdrew from the regional bloc alongside Mali and Burkina Faso – both also under military rule – to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September 2023. Niger also expelled French and US forces, signalling a geopolitical realignment away from former traditional allies.
The country is still grappling with jihadism, as armed groups linked to Islamic State and al-Qaida affiliates continue to attack the tri-border region with Mali and Burkina Faso in particular. The security situation has deteriorated significantly since the coup despite the junta’s promises to restore stability.
The Global Terrorism Index 2025 reports that Niger recorded the largest increase in terrorism deaths globally in 2024, rising by 94% to a total of 930 deaths, the country’s worst ranking since the index began.
