Gunfire and blasts heard at Niamey airport; Asky planes reportedly damaged

Gunfire and loud blasts were heard at the main airport in Niger’s capital, Niamey, just after midnight, according to the Reuters news agency and an independent source. A witness told Reuters they heard explosions shortly after midnight. The airport is next to Base Aérienne 101, a military base that was previously used by American and then Russian troops.

A source with Togolese airline Asky told the Guardian that gunshots made several holes in the fuselage of its two planes on the tarmac. The source said staff were at their hotel at the time but remained stranded in the country and added: “They destroyed both aircraft … they left evidence at the scene.” It remains unclear who fired the shots or whether there were any casualties, and authorities in Niger have yet to comment on the situation.

The incident comes against a backdrop of political and security turmoil since the July 2023 coup that brought Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani to power and led to Niger’s withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States and the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States. The country has also faced a worsening jihadist threat, and the Global Terrorism Index 2025 reports Niger recorded a 94% rise in terrorism deaths in 2024 to 930 — its worst ranking since the index began.

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