US EditionHeavy gunfire and blasts heard near airport in Niger's capital
Heavy gunfire and explosions near Niamey airport lasted about two hours before calm returned, with investigations focusing on links to a stuck uranium shipment and regional jihadist violence.
- On Thursday, sustained heavy gunfire and loud explosions were heard near Diori Hamani International Airport shortly after midnight; the airport houses an air force base about 10km from the presidential palace.
- With the cause unclear, authorities said it is not clear what caused the blasts or if there were casualties, and they are trying to determine whether the gunfire was linked to a huge uranium shipment stuck amid complications with France.
- Multiple eyewitness videos showed air-defence systems engaging unidentified projectiles early Thursday, and a Foreign Affairs ministry official said, `There is no need to worry,` while authorities investigate links to the shipment.
- Calm returned after two hours, and an official said the situation was under control following the overnight gunfire near Niamey International Airport.
- The incident came against a backdrop of Niger's military government fighting jihadist groups like Burkina Faso and Mali, while a major uranium shipment remains stuck amid legal disputes with France.
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52 Articles
The military regime in Niger, led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, strongly criticized the French presidency on Thursday after a probable jihadist attack that targeted the airport of the capital Niamey during the night.
Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, the capital of Niger, suffered a terrorist attack this Thursday morning, damaging at least three commercial aircraft that were stationed there. Although no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, the offensives of jihadist groups in Niger are frequent, in particular by the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the Province of Islamic State of the Sahel. Niamey Airport houses a militar…
Explosions, Heavy Gunfire Rock Niger Republic
Loud explosions and heavy gunfire rocked the main airport in Niger’s capital of Niamey, om Thursday morning. The international airport in Niamey houses a military base and has held a significant shipment of uranium from Niger’s mines meant for export. Residents told Associated Press the targeted area from the video capturing the loud blasts seems to be Diori Hamani International Airport, a key military hub for the Nigerien army. So far, details …
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