Niger: explosions and gunfire reported near Niamey airport

Explosions and exchanges of gunfire were reported early Thursday, June 18, 2026, near the Diori Hamani International Airport and the military airbase in Niamey, Niger. According to Reuters, the blasts started around 6 a.m. local time and gunfire was still heard nearly two hours later. A security source suggested a possible attack, but no claim of responsibility has been made and the Nigerien government has not yet officially commented. The incident comes less than five months after a similar attack on the same site in January 2026.