Key facts
- Mutinous soldiers attacked Niger's airport and presidency in the capital, Niamey.
- The attacks involved gunfire and explosions, briefly disrupting state television and radio.
- Niger's defense ministry stated that the armed forces were progressively retaking control of targeted sites.
- Security sources indicated the overall situation remained unclear, with mutineers still present at the airport.
- The incident is the latest challenge to the military junta's rule.
Mutinous soldiers attacked Niger's airport and presidency in the capital, Niamey, early Saturday, with intense gunfire and explosions heard throughout the night and into the morning. The attacks targeted the main airport, which houses a military air base, and the administrative district containing the Presidential Palace and other key institutions. This incident represents the latest threat to the military junta led by Abdourahamane Tchiani, which seized power in a 2023 coup. The defense minister stated that security forces are progressively regaining control of the sites, but the overall situation remained unclear, with mutineers reportedly still present at the airport. State television and radio briefly ceased live broadcasts during the unrest.