Deadly attack on Niger’s main airport Niamey kills 35, highlights ongoing security threat

At least 35 people were killed on 18 June after heavily armed militants attacked Niamey’s Diori Hamani International Airport, Niger’s largest airport and a key military installation. According to Niger’s defence ministry, the dead included 22 attackers, 11 soldiers and two civilians.

The assault began shortly after dawn prayers, with residents reporting explosions and gunfire around the airport complex, which serves both civilian aviation and military operations. Security forces eventually regained control of the area and launched a manhunt for surviving attackers, while several suspects were reportedly detained.

The attack marks the second major assault on the airport in less than five months. In January, a group linked to the so-called Islamic State claimed responsibility for a similar attack on the facility, though no organisation has yet claimed Thursday’s operation.

The airport is considered one of Niger’s most strategically important sites and hosts military facilities used by the Alliance of Sahel States, the junta-led bloc comprising Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.

The incident underscores the persistent jihadist threat facing Niger despite years of military operations and recent security enhancements around the airport. Authorities have recently expanded perimeter defences, installed hundreds of surveillance cameras and cleared nearby neighbourhoods in an effort to reduce security risks.

The attack is likely to renew concerns about the ability of Sahel governments to contain extremist groups, particularly around critical infrastructure and transport hubs.