Niamey, Niger – Newly released footage shows gun-wielding militants linked to the Islamic State group moving freely on the tarmac of Niger’s main international airport during a coordinated assault that authorities and analysts say highlights growing security threats in the Sahel.
Video distributed by the U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group depicts armed assailants firing weapons near parked passenger aircraft and detonating explosions around military targets at Diori Hamani International Airport, which also hosts Air Base 101, late Wednesday into early Thursday. The footage shows militants on foot and motorcycles among civilian and military aircraft, including near an unmanned aerial vehicle and a helicopter that were later seen in flames.
The attack, claimed by the Islamic State’s West Africa affiliate, prompted widespread concern from international observers after gunfire and loud detonations echoed around the airport before calm returned the following morning.
Nigerien authorities reported that security forces killed 20 attackers and captured 11 others in the engagement, while four Nigerien soldiers were wounded. No civilian casualties have been confirmed. Two aircraft belonging to ASKY Airlines sustained minor damage, and an Air Côte d’Ivoire airliner suffered damage to its fuselage and wing.
The footage suggests the attackers communicated in Kanuri, a language more commonly spoken in the Lake Chad basin, raising speculation among analysts that experienced fighters from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) may have been involved.
The assault has intensified international alarm over the security situation in Niger, which has seen a rise in jihadist violence similar to neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso. In response to recent attacks, the United States ordered the departure of non-emergency government personnel from Niger.
In the aftermath, Niger’s military ruler, Gen. Abdourahamane Tiani, accused the governments of Benin, Ivory Coast, and France of backing the attackers—claims that have been strongly denied by Benin and drew formal protest from the Ivory Coast.
The airport raid reflects growing boldness among extremist groups targeting strategic infrastructure and underscores Niger’s deepening security challenges as regional insurgencies persist.
