A coordinated assault by heavily armed gunmen on Niger’s largest airport has left at least 35 people dead, shattering the fragile peace in the Sahel region. The attack, which targeted Diori Hamani International Airport in the capital Niamey, unfolded in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as attackers stormed the terminal and opened fire on passengers, airline staff, and security personnel.
“They came from nowhere, shooting at everyone,” said a survivor who asked not to be named. “I hid behind a counter for hours, listening to the screams. It was a massacre.”
Local authorities confirmed that among the dead are eight airport security officers and two airline crew members. The assailants, believed to be affiliated with an Islamist militant group, reportedly used grenades and automatic weapons. A hijacked military vehicle was later found abandoned near the runway.
Niger has been battling a rising tide of jihadist violence linked to groups like Islamic State in the Greater Sahara and al-Qaeda affiliates. The attack on the airport, a key transit hub for humanitarian aid and international flights, represents a major escalation. “This is not just an assault on an airport; it is an assault on the state itself,” said a government spokesperson.
The international community has condemned the attack. France, which maintains a military base in Niger, offered support for the investigation. The United Nations called for urgent action to protect civilians. But for ordinary Nigeriens, the bloodshed is yet another blow to a country already crippled by poverty and instability.
“How can we live like this?” asked Aïcha, a mother of three who lost her brother in the attack. “He was just going to work. The government cannot protect us. We are on our own.”
As the sun rose over Niamey, the airport remained closed, surrounded by armoured vehicles and soldiers. The body count is expected to rise as rescue teams search the wreckage. This tragedy is a stark reminder that the war in the Sahel is far from over, and its victims are always the ordinary people.
