Attack targeting Niamey Airport
Eyewitnesses report heavy gunfire and explosions, while Nigerien security forces have sealed off the area to prevent the escalation of clashes.
Witnesses reported hearing explosions and continuous gunfire that lasted for more than an hour early Thursday morning at Niamey Airport, the capital of Niger, with security forces sealing off the area in what is believed to be an attack carried out by jihadist groups, especially as it comes roughly six months after a similar operation.
One witness said the first explosions occurred around 6:00 a.m. local time (05:00 GMT), and intermittent gunfire was still audible nearly two hours later.
A security source indicated that the airport appears to be under attack. The regional branch of the Islamic State previously claimed responsibility for an attack on the same airport in January.
Niger is facing a worrying escalation in jihadist activity, as the country has become one of the main arenas of confrontation in the African Sahel region, with increasing attacks by the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda-linked groups, particularly in border areas with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria. These organizations benefit from limited security deployment and the difficulty of monitoring vast desert regions.
Over the past two years, border areas between Niger, Benin, and Nigeria have seen a sharp rise in armed attacks. According to conflict monitoring project data, there has been a significant increase in incidents linked to jihadist groups during 2024 and 2025, with more than one thousand deaths recorded as a result of clashes and attacks targeting both security forces and civilians. This escalation reflects the ability of these organizations to reorganize and expand their operations despite military campaigns by authorities.
Most Islamic State activity in the Sahel region, known as “Islamic State – Sahel Province,” is concentrated in the Tillabéri region in western Niger, a strategic area due to its proximity to the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso. In this area, the group’s fighters carry out repeated attacks against the army and local security forces, as well as against villages accused of collaborating with the government, in an attempt to extend their influence over rural areas far from state control.
Jihadist activity is no longer limited to remote areas. Islamic State has demonstrated its ability to target more sensitive sites, following an airport attack earlier this year. Observers consider this operation an indication of the group’s evolving capabilities and its intent to shift operations from traditional strongholds toward strategic targets within the capital.
Armed groups also benefit from the porous nature of Sahel borders and the difficulty of controlling smuggling routes and desert movements, enabling them to transfer fighters and weapons between Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Security experts also argue that the gradual withdrawal of Western forces from the region, following military coups in Sahel states, has created a security vacuum that these extremist groups have exploited to strengthen their presence.
Niger does not only face the threat of the Islamic State. Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, affiliated with Al-Qaeda, is also active in the country, making Niger one of the key arenas of competition between the two largest jihadist networks in Africa. While the two groups differ in methods and objectives, both exploit fragile security and social conditions to expand their influence.
The nature of attacks has become more complex. They are no longer limited to traditional ambushes against military forces but now include coordinated operations targeting security bases and critical infrastructure, as well as attempts to seize territory and impose local governance models. This reality places Nigerien authorities under significant pressure, as Sahel countries attempt to develop a new security approach to counter the expansion of jihadist groups, which increasingly threaten the stability of the entire region.
