RT-Engels: 18-06-2026,
The perimeter of Diori Hamani International Airport in Niger was reportedly breached before soldiers repelled the attackers
Gunmen attacked Niger’s main airport in the capital Niamey early Thursday, exchanging heavy fire with security forces in an assault that briefly disrupted operations, multiple outlets reported, citing local residents.
Residents near Diori Hamani International Airport reported explosions and sustained gunfire before dawn, with attackers attempting to breach the perimeter before being pushed back by soldiers deployed around the complex, which also hosts Air Base 101.
The identities of the assailants were not immediately known, and no group has claimed responsibility. No casualties have been reported so far, and Nigerien military authorities have not yet issued an official statement.
Footage purportedly from the scene and shared on social media shows a man believed to be one of the attackers being beaten by local residents before soldiers intervene and take him into custody in a military vehicle.
📍#Niger | Attaque terroriste contre l’aéroport de Niamey ⏳
Tôt ce matin, l’aéroport de Niamey a été la cible d’une attaque complexe menée par des groupes armés terroristes.
Selon les premières informations des autorités nigériennes, la situation est désormais sous contrôle… pic.twitter.com/6yvmhqwdi0
— 𝕮𝖍𝖊𝖎𝖈𝖐 𝕿𝖎𝖉𝖎𝖆𝖓𝖊 𝕯𝕴𝕬𝕽𝕽𝕬 (@CheickIbtidiani) June 18, 2026
The latest incident comes months after a major offensive on the same airport in January, claimed by fighters linked to Islamic State (IS,