Niger said it had regained control of a key military airbase in the capital Niamey after an attack by mutinous soldiers on Saturday (29 August). Explosions and gunfire were reported in the capital, including around the military airbase and the presidential complex.
State media said the attack involved hundreds of soldiers and lasted several hours as forces loyal to General Abdourahamane Tiani, Head of the military ruled government in Niger, tried to restore control.
The attack highlights tensions within Niger’s armed forces, which have faced repeated losses while fighting jihadist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates in the Sahel region.
Security sources said the Presidential Guard supported Tiani during the unrest, while the military leader had not made any public appearances by Sunday morning.
The airbase, located the city's civilian airport, houses military aircraft, drones and a counter-terrorism unit linked to the Alliance of Sahel States, which includes Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
Russian and Italian forces are also stationed at the facility. Russia’s ambassador to Niger said Africa Corps, a Kremlin-controlled paramilitary force, had received a request for assistance in dealing with the mutineers.
The airbase had already been targeted twice this year, in January by an Islamic State affiliate and in June by an al Qaeda-linked group.
The latest unrest comes as Niger continues to struggle against jihadist violence despite the military government’s efforts to strengthen security.
Earlier this month, an Islamic State affiliate attack in southwestern Niger killed 18 soldiers, adding pressure on authorities.
Analysts and security sources say frustration is increasing among frontline troops over battlefield losses and the government’s handling of the insurgency.
Niger has been ruled by military officers since a 2023 coup that removed President Mohamed Bazoum.
Since taking power, Tiani’s government has moved away from Western partners, strengthened ties with Russia and withdrawn from the regional ECOWAS bloc alongside Mali and Burkina Faso.
The country is also facing disputes over its natural resources, including uranium, with authorities tightening control over the sector and seizing assets from French company Orano.
Niger remains one of Africa’s major producers of uranium, a resource that has long been important for European nuclear fuel supplies.
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