Gunfire Heard at Niamey Airport
Residents in Niger's capital, Niamey, reported hearing gunfire originating from the airport. The incident began around 06:00 local time (05:00 GMT) and, according to the news agency, which also reported explosions, the gunfire lasted for approximately one hour.
Two witnesses told the AFP news agency that the gunfire was coming from the entrance to the airport.
Context of Ongoing Insurgency
Niger has been combating a militant Islamist insurgency for the past decade. In January, suspected jihadists launched an attack on the same airport. Similar to its neighboring countries Burkina Faso and Mali, Niger is governed by a military junta that assumed power partly due to the inability to effectively address the ongoing violence.
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