Unknown attackers breached the perimeter of Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey early on 18 June, triggering explosions and sustained gunfire for more than an hour. Nigerien security forces repelled the assault and restored control of the airport grounds, while the site was sealed off and the army pursued fleeing assailants.
The airport and its military airbase have now been hit twice in six months, after the January attack that exposed the vulnerability of Niger’s aviation node and its wider security architecture. For operators, the near-term risk is renewed disruption to Niamey schedules and tighter security controls across the Sahel.