Civil War Erupts! Airport Attacked, 11 Soldiers Killed

A group of armed men launched a deadly attack on the main airport in Niger’s capital, Niamey, in the early hours of Thursday (18/6/2026). A fierce gunfight at the vital facility resulted in the deaths of at least 11 soldiers and two civilians.

According to the Associated Press, Niger’s Ministry of Defence stated that the act of terror was successfully thwarted after officers neutralised 22 of the attackers. Authorities also moved swiftly to arrest 20 suspects and seized a large quantity of weapons and ammunition at the scene.

“Security forces immediately tightened the cordon and checked every citizen along the road to the airport after the situation was brought under control,” an official government release noted.

Hours after the bloody incident, Niger’s National Civil Aviation Agency announced that flight operations at the airport had returned to normal. The country, led by a military junta, has been battling a surge in violence from jihadist groups.

This tragedy marks the second attack this year on Diori Hamani International Airport, a strategic hub that also houses a military airbase. In January, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a similar assault on the facility.

“The symbolism of the airport as the headquarters of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) will continue to drive militants’ intent to target it,” said Beverly Ochieng, a senior security analyst at Control Risks, explaining the high level of terrorist threat to the site.