Key facts
- The al-Qaeda-linked JNIM group claimed responsibility for an attack on Niger's main international airport.
- The attack resulted in the deaths of 11 soldiers and two civilians.
- This is the second attack on the airport this year, with the Islamic State group's Sahel Province claiming an earlier incident.
- Analysts state that militant groups are increasingly targeting urban centers in the Sahel region.
- Niger's location makes it a key area of competition between JNIM and the Islamic State group.
The main international airport in Niger was targeted by gunfire and explosions, an incident claimed by the al-Qaeda-linked JNIM jihadi group. This attack, which killed 11 soldiers and two civilians, is seen as a sign of armed groups increasingly focusing on urban centers in Africa's Sahel region. It is the second attack on Diori Hamani International Airport this year; an earlier incident was claimed by the Islamic State group’s Sahel Province (ISSP).