News|ISIL/ISISISIL claims responsibility for Niger airport attackClaim comes after military ruler Abdourahamane Tiani accused France, Benin, Ivory coast of involvement in the attack.
An armed group, identified as ISIL (ISIS), has claimed responsibility for an attack on a military base located at Diori Hamani International Airport near Niamey, Niger. The attack reportedly resulted in significant damage, although specific details have…
An armed group, identified as ISIL (ISIS), has claimed responsibility for an attack on a military base located at Diori Hamani International Airport near Niamey, Niger. The attack reportedly resulted in significant damage, although specific details have not been disclosed.
The military government of Niger, which assumed power following a 2023 coup, reported that security forces engaged and killed 20 attackers during the conflict, which occurred shortly after midnight on Thursday. Additionally, four army soldiers sustained injuries.
Niger continues to combat ISIL affiliate Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS) and the al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM). These groups have been active in the region for over a decade, with recent attacks leading to over 120 casualties in September in the Tillaberi region and the abduction of a US pilot in October.
An armed group, identified as ISIL (ISIS), has claimed responsibility for an attack on a military base located at Diori Hamani International Airport near Niamey, Niger.
General Abdourahamane Tiani, Niger's military leader, acknowledged the role of Russian military personnel stationed at the base in defending against the attack. Tiani also accused France, Benin, and Ivory Coast of sponsoring the attack, though no evidence was provided to support these claims. A spokesman for Benin's government dismissed the allegations.
Niamey’s strategic airport, situated approximately 10 kilometers from the presidential palace, hosts military bases and serves as the headquarters for the Niger-Burkina Faso-Mali Joint Force, which is engaged in combating armed groups. These nations, governed by military administrations, have formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), signaling a shift in alliances from Western nations to Russia.
The airport also houses a substantial uranium reserve, currently the subject of a nationalization dispute with French nuclear company Orano. Reports from Niger state television indicated that one of the deceased assailants was a French national, though no evidence was provided.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.
