Niger military says it has quashed mutiny after attacks on airport and presidency
?s military-led government said on Saturday it had contained a mutiny in Niamey after hours of gunfire and explosions near the presidential palace, the ...
Niger’s military-led government said on Saturday it had contained a mutiny in Niamey after hours of gunfire and explosions near the presidential palace, the state broadcaster and Diori Hamani International Airport. The unrest exposed fresh strain inside the armed forces and dealt another blow to the junta’s grip on power.
State television said security forces gradually regained control. A military base at the airport was hit first, then the attackers moved on to key government sites in the capital. Dozens of rebel soldiers were reportedly killed or arrested, though by late Saturday the overall picture was still unsettled.
Gunfire around key sites
The overnight assault rattled the capital early on Saturday, with sustained shooting and blasts echoing across several districts. State TV and radio briefly went off air. A government statement urged calm as security forces moved in.
By late morning, the defence ministry said troops were retaking the sites seized in the attack. Security sources, however, said mutineers were still at the airport later in the day, underscoring how fragile the situation remained even after officials declared progress.
Pressure on Tchiani deepens
The mutiny is the latest challenge for General Abdourahamane Tchiani, who took power in a 2023 coup and has since struggled to deliver stability. Niger’s military rulers have also faced mounting frustration over their inability to push back armed groups active across the Sahel.
That frustration has built inside the armed forces as jihadist attacks continue despite the government’s promise to restore security. Analysts say the latest unrest points to tension within the military itself, not only between the junta and civilian opponents.
A fragile shift away from the West
Since seizing power, Tchiani has steered Niger away from Western partners, including former colonial ruler France, and closer to Russia for security support. The move has not stopped the violence. Nor has it settled the political order.
Niger, a major uranium producer, has a long record of coups and shifting alliances, and the latest mutiny adds to doubts about the durability of the current leadership. Earlier this year, affiliates of al-Qaeda and Islamic State carried out attacks on the civilian airport and a military airbase, a reminder of the security pressures facing the country.
For now, the government says it has regained the upper hand. But the late-day standoff at the airport suggested the crisis was not yet fully over, and the mutiny had already shown how quickly loyalty inside the ranks can fracture in Niamey.
