Niger President Accuses France, Neighbors of Supporting Airport Assault

(MENAFN) Niger’s interim leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, has blamed France, along with Benin and Ivory Coast, for orchestrating what he described as a “cowardly attack” targeting the country’s main international airport in the capital, Niamey.

The incident unfolded shortly after midnight on Thursday, when gunfire and explosions were reported in the vicinity of Diori Hamani International Airport. Authorities later said security forces had regained control of the area and stabilized the situation.

According to official accounts, several aircraft sustained damage during the clashes, though there were no reports of serious injuries among civilians. Security officials said multiple suspects were killed, including at least one foreign national, and footage broadcast on state television showed several bodies at the scene.

After inspecting Air Base 101, which is located adjacent to the airport, General Tchiani addressed the nation and directly accused French President Emmanuel Macron, Benin’s President Patrice Talon, and Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara of sponsoring the attack. He warned that Niger would respond to what he framed as external aggression.

“We remind the sponsors of these mercenaries, notably Emmanuel Macron, Patrice Talon, and Alassane Ouattara, that we have heard them bark long enough; they should now get ready, in turn, to hear us roar,” the military leader said.

Tchiani commended Nigerien defense and security forces, as well as Russian troops stationed at the base, for their “swift response” in thwarting the assault. Russian forces have been present at the facility since 2024, following Niger’s decision to end a long-standing defense arrangement with Washington and demand the departure of around 1,000 US troops.

France, which once held significant influence across the Sahel, has seen its role in the region steadily diminish amid public anger over persistent insecurity, weak economic conditions, and perceptions of foreign interference. Niger’s current rulers, alongside military-led governments in Mali and Burkina Faso, have pushed French forces out of their countries, ending deployments that were originally intended to combat jihadist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

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