‘Soldiers attempted mutiny’: Niger’s defence minister after gunfire, blasts heard in capital Niamey
The Niger government said a group of soldiers had attempted to stage a mutiny and that the situation was now under control after sustained gunfire and explosions were heard overnight into Saturday in Niamey, the capital of the West African country.According to defence minister General Salifou Mody, the soldiers took several officers hostage at Niamey’s Diori Hamani International Airport, which houses a key military air base known as Base 101, as well as in the Plateau administrative district, home to the presidential palace and other key institutions.Mody described the alleged mutiny attempt as a “break with discipline and military regulations.”As the attack unfolded, state broadcaster RTN halted its live transmission for several hours before resuming its broadcast.The incident marked the third attack this year on the international airport, following two earlier assaults by jihadi rebels. Besides Niger’s air force Base 101, the airport also houses the headquarters of a joint military force comprising Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali.Niger has been ruled by a military junta since a 2023 coup that brought Abdourahamane Tchiani to power. Under the junta, the country has severed ties with long-time Western security partners and turned to Russia. It continues to face attacks by jihadi rebels and worsening economic hardship following cuts in aid.The ruling military council, known as the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, called for unity. “Our defence and security forces are mobilised for the Defence of the Fatherland. Let us remain united, vigilant and supportive,” it said in a Facebook post.The latest attack adds to pressure on the National Council, which has struggled to contain deadly jihadi violence that has battered parts of Africa’s Sahel region, including neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali, which are also governed by military juntas.(With AP inputs)
