A coordinated terrorist attack on a military airport in western Niger has left 35 people dead in one of the deadliest assaults in the country's recent history. The attack, which took place at the airport in the city of Tillabéri, involved heavily armed assailants who stormed the facility in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
According to Nigerien security sources, the assailants arrived in multiple vehicles and engaged security forces in a firefight that lasted several hours. The attackers used heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, targeting both personnel and aircraft. At least 35 people were killed, including 20 soldiers, 10 civilians, and five attackers. Several others were wounded.
The airport in Tillabéri is a key military hub for Niger's armed forces, which have been battling jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS in the volatile Sahel region. The area has seen a rise in attacks since 2020, when the French-led counterinsurgency operation Barkhane began withdrawing troops.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion has fallen on local affiliates of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) and al-Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM). Both groups have operated in the tri-border area between Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, exploiting weak state presence and cross-border mobility.
The assault comes amid a deterioration of security in Niger following a military coup in July 2023 that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. The coup has strained relations with Western partners, including France and the United States, who have suspended aid and military cooperation. The junta has sought closer ties with Russia and Iran, raising fears of reduced counterterrorism capacity.
Niger's military government condemned the attack as an act of barbarism and declared three days of national mourning. In a statement, the defence ministry vowed to pursue the perpetrators and reinforce security at military installations.
The attack underscores the enduring threat posed by jihadist insurgencies in the Sahel, which have claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions since 2012. International analysts have warned that the region risks becoming a safe haven for extremist groups amid political instability and reduced foreign military support.
Neighbouring countries have expressed solidarity with Niger. Mali's transitional government, a fellow junta-led state, offered condolences and pledged cooperation in cross-border security efforts.
The United Nations Security Council is expected to discuss the attack in an emergency session later this week. Diplomats have called for renewed efforts to stabilise the region, though divisions among major powers and the junta's legitimacy issues complicate any coordinated response.
As investigations continue, the airport remains closed to all traffic. The victims' families have begun burying their dead amid a climate of fear and anger. For many Nigeriens, the attack is a stark reminder that the country's security crisis, far from abating, is deepening.
