Published on 6/18/2026
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Last update: 6/19/2026 02:18 (Mecca time)
The Nigerian Ministry of Defense announced the killing of 11 soldiers and two civilians in a preliminary toll of the attack that targeted Diori Hamani International Airport in the capital, Niamey, on Thursday morning. While the Group to Support Islam and Muslims, linked to Al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Ministry explained, in a statement broadcast on national television, that the operation also resulted in the killing of 22 attackers and the arrest of about 20 suspects, while 4 members of the Defense and Security Forces were injured in the confrontations.
The official statement confirmed that the armed forces – which have ruled the country since the 2023 coup – are still carrying out a “large operation” around the region to track down the attackers, stressing at the same time that the airport is under full security control. The Ministry also reassured public opinion that the vital facility remains open to air traffic normally.
Local residents reported that gunfire began early this morning at six in the morning (5:00 GMT), confirming that its source was the main gate of the airport and its security checkpoint.
Later in the evening, the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims reported in a brief statement on its propaganda channel, the “Zallaqa” Media Foundation, that it had carried out a suicide attack on Diori Hamani International Airport and on the military base next to it.
Security implications and combing operations
In the details of the field scene, eyewitnesses reported that the Nigerian army sent reinforcements to the neighborhoods surrounding the airport, especially the Changa Road neighborhood, where extensive combing operations took place to search for gunmen whose presence was reported in the area.
The security alert led to the disruption of movement at the airport, as soldiers informed passengers that it was impossible to board their planes. Local residents confirmed that the situation was under control, with field tensions subsequently decreasing.
It is noteworthy that last January, Niamey Airport was subjected to an unprecedented attack claimed by ISIS in the Sahel, during which Nigerien forces, with Russian support, sought to confront the attackers.
The head of the military junta, Abderrahmane Tiani, admitted at the time that there was a “loophole in the system,” prompting the authorities to take strict security measures that included expanding the security fence and installing more than 350 surveillance cameras.
These developments come at a time when Niger, along with its neighbors Mali and Burkina Faso, continues to face major security challenges as a result of the escalation of attacks by groups linked to ISIS and Al-Qaeda, in light of the strategic shifts witnessed in Niger’s foreign policy, which has distanced itself from France and moved to strengthen new partnerships.
