Fresh security concerns have emerged in Niger after residents reported hearing gunfire near the international airport in the country’s capital, Niamey, early Thursday morning.
According to eyewitnesses, the shooting began around 6:00 a.m. local time and appeared to be coming from the entrance of Diori Hamani International Airport.
One resident told AFP that the gunfire continued for hours, while another confirmed that the sounds were coming from the airport area.
The incident comes just months after the same airport was targeted in a major attack claimed by the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS).
That January assault marked one of the most significant security breaches in Niger’s capital and was eventually repelled by Nigerien forces with support from allied Russian fighters.
Following the attack, authorities demolished thousands of structures in a nearby neighborhood, claiming the area had been used by militants involved in the operation.
For years, jihadist violence in Niger was largely concentrated in remote regions, but recent incidents have raised concerns about growing threats closer to the capital.
Niger continues to battle armed groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which have carried out attacks across parts of the Sahel region for more than a decade.
As of the time of reporting, authorities had not released an official statement on the latest gunfire incident.
Source: AFP.
