The head of Niger’s military accuses France, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire of being behind an assault on a military base at Niamey’s international airport, and thanked soldiers and “Russian partners” for repelling the attack.
Suspected terrorists launched an attack shortly after midnight on Thursday, with local residents reporting shooting and explosions until calm was restored about an hour later.
Niger, which has regularly been hit by terrorist violence, has been led by General Abdourahamane Tiani since a coup overthrew former president Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023.
No terrorist group has so far claimed responsibility.
Services returned to normal during the day at Diori Hamani International Airport, which houses an air force base and is some 10 kilometres (six miles) from the presidential palace.
Niger’s defence ministry said four military personnel were injured and 20 attackers were killed, with state television saying that a French national was among them.
Eleven people were arrested, it added.
“We commend all the defence and security forces… as well as Russian partners who defended their security sector with professionalism,” Tiani said on state radio.
“We remind the sponsors of these mercenaries, notably Emmanuel Macron, Patrice Talon and Alassane Ouattara: we’ve heard them bark quite enough; now they should get ready to listen to us.”
The government has frosty relations with former colonial power France, and regularly accuses it, and neighbouring Benin, of trying to destabilise Niger, which both countries deny.
Defence Minister Salifou Modi said the attack lasted “about 30 minutes”, before an “air and ground response”.
Ibrahim Boubacar, head of a youth collective who lives near the airport, said: “We started hearing shots. At first, we thought it was just firecrackers, then it sounded like heavy weapons fire, mortars.
“We told ourselves it really was a terrorist attack.”
Satellite images seen by AFP showed areas with signs of scorched earth near the runway of the airport.
Niger has been battling violence by terrorists linked to Al-Qaeda and Daesh, especially in the west of the country near the capital.
The West African journalists’ group Wamaps, which specialises in security issues in the region, spoke of a “large-scale terrorist attack involving drones, mortars and terrorists on motorbikes”.
.It said air defence systems were speedily deployed, following which several attackers were either “neutralised or fled”.
Wamaps said “Russian mercenaries” were involved in the clashes. Russian military news blog Rybar meanwhile said that “Russian military specialists may have helped government troops repel the attack”.
After securing the departure of French and US forces from its territory, Niger’s government has moved closer to new partners, including Russia.
The airport is a strategic site, hosting the headquarters of a joint force created by Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali to combat the active terrorist groups in the region.
The air hub also houses a Nigerien air force base and a recently built drone base. According to Wamaps, some 300 Italian troops are also stationed there.
Burkina Faso and Mali and Niger have teamed up to create the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), and announced a 5,000-strong force for joint military operations.
SOURCE:AFP