Niger faces rising islamist threat after attack on Niamey airport
In the early hours of January 29, gunfire and explosions shattered the calm around Niamey’s Diori Hamani International Airport. The rare direct assault on Niger’s capital was later claimed by the Islamic State in the Greater Sahel (ISGS) through its AMAQ propaganda outlet.
The attack, which lasted about an hour, was repelled following an aeroterrestrial counteroffensive by Nigerien forces. Official reports—though unverifiable by independent sources—indicate twenty attackers killed, eleven captured, and four soldiers injured. Russia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on February 2 that troops from the Africa Corps, a unit under the Russian Defense Ministry, had assisted in securing the area alongside Nigerien forces.
Russian involvement and strategic stakes at Niamey airport
General Abdourahamane Tiani, leader of Niger’s military junta, praised the professionalism of Russian partners deployed in their designated security zone within the airport perimeter. This area includes Base 101, a critical military site in Niger’s security framework.
The assault highlighted the airport’s dual role: a military hub and the headquarters for the joint force of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. It also serves as a storage site for a significant uranium concentrate stockpile, currently at the center of a dispute with French firm Orano. Reports suggest Niamey may consider transferring this uranium to Russia, pending a resolution for its logistical removal.
ISGS propaganda and escalating regional instability
On February 2, ISGS released a propaganda video allegedly filmed during the attack. The footage, branded with AMAQ’s logo, depicts armed men moving through the airport’s military zone, firing on hangars, and setting fires. Damaged equipment includes two small planes and a helicopter—part of Niger’s aerial assets used against jihadist groups. Satellite images confirmed burnt areas near the runway.
The video later shifts to the civilian sector, where attackers film commercial aircraft from Asky Airlines and Air Côte d’Ivoire. While Nigerien authorities reported damage to three civilian planes, the Defense Ministry mentioned “equipment destroyed, including a stockpile of munitions that caught fire”, without further details.
Niger’s shifting alliances and diplomatic tensions
General Tiani accused France, Benin, and Côte d’Ivoire of sponsoring the attack, a claim swiftly rejected by Abidjan and Cotonou. Côte d’Ivoire summoned Niger’s ambassador, condemning the statements as “grave” and warning they could harm bilateral relations.
Meanwhile, nearly 300 Italian troops, part of the Italian Support Mission in Niger (MISIN), were present at the airport. Italy’s Defense Minister, Guido Crosetto, clarified that Italian forces “played no role in the fighting” and prioritized their own security.
Jihadist expansion and the militarization of Niamey
While Niger has battled Al-Qaeda-affiliated JNIM and ISGS in its western and southeastern regions for a decade, direct strikes on the capital remain uncommon. Days before the airport attack, JNIM claimed responsibility for destroying a military vehicle east of Niamey, signaling growing pressure on the central government.
Since the July 2023 coup, Niger’s military regime has realigned its security partnerships, pivoting toward Moscow while severing ties with Western allies. French forces were expelled by late 2023, followed by the withdrawal of most U.S. military personnel in 2024, though diplomatic channels remain open.
The attack underscores a dangerous shift: ISGS’s ability to strike high-value targets, coupled with Russia’s expanding security footprint in the Sahel. As Niamey grapples with these challenges, the episode signals a new phase of instability, with potential ripple effects across the region.
