Niger’s defence ministry says armed forces retaking control of sites targeted in overnight attack.
A group of soldiers in Niger has rebelled against officers at a key military base and fired at sensitive locations in the capital, Niamey, in an apparent collective mutiny, according to authorities.
Sustained gunfire and explosions were heard overnight into Saturday in the city, including at the main airport that houses the military air base, known as Base 101, and in the Plateau administrative district, where the presidential palace and key institutions are located.
By late morning, Niger’s defence ministry said the armed forces were progressively retaking control of sites targeted in the overnight attack, but security sources said mutineers were still present at the airport and the overall situation remained unclear.
The incident marks the third time the city – and specifically the main airport complex – has experienced major unrest this year, underscoring persistent insecurity under Niger’s military-led government that seized power in a coup in 2023 and vowed to restore order.
Bana Wagana Ibrahim, a member of Niger’s Bureau of the Consultative Council and a deputy in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) parliament, said on Facebook that attackers had targeted Base 101 but that security forces had regained control.
