Niger presidential guard, with assistance from Russian forces, retakes a key military base in the capital, Niamey, after mutinous soldiers launch armed clashes and attempt to seize sensitive locations.
A diplomatic source tells AFP that the presidential guard regains control of the air base with Russian support, while two security sources also confirm that the facility is back under government control.
The diplomatic source says several of the rebelling soldiers are killed during the fighting. The development comes after hours of heavy exchanges across parts of Niamey, with mutinous soldiers reportedly moving towards the presidential palace and disrupting the national broadcaster.
Niger’s ruling military junta later says it is back in control of the situation after security forces push back the mutinous troops.
The country has been under the leadership of a military junta headed by General Abdourahamane Tiani for three years. The government continues to face a persistent jihadist threat that has affected Niger and other parts of the Sahel for more than a decade.
The clashes begin shortly after midnight, with soldiers blocking access to the presidential palace and the national television station, Tele Sahel.
The broadcaster goes off air for more than an hour before returning at around 10 a.m. A security source says the mutinous soldiers attempt to enter the presidential palace but are pushed back by members of the presidential guard.
“There was an attempt by insurgents from the Nigerien armed forces to enter the presidential palace,” the source tells AFP.
Defence Minister General Salifou Mody says on state television that a group of soldiers holds some troops hostage at a barracks in Niamey before opening fire at what he describes as sensitive locations. He does not identify the specific sites targeted.
Mody says government troops and security forces quickly regain control of the affected areas and urges residents to remain calm.
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The first gunshots are heard at about 1 a.m. local time, according to a video published by a local journalist monitoring the area around the airport.
The military also issues a statement on social media urging residents to remain calm and warning them against sharing unverified information.
Residents report heavy gunfire and explosions around Air Force Base 101, while another witness describes hearing repeated bursts of gunfire later in the morning.
One resident says the weapons being used do not appear to be the type commonly carried by jihadist fighters operating on motorcycles.
Videos circulating online also show armored military vehicles moving towards areas around the airport as security forces reinforce their positions.
Air Force Base 101 is located within the international airport complex in Niamey and serves as the headquarters of Russia’s Africa Corps in the country.
The facility is considered strategically important because of its military and logistical role. Between December and January, the base also hosts a large shipment of uranium concentrate that remains held up while awaiting export. No movement of the shipment has been identified since.
The base additionally serves as the command centre for the unified force of the Alliance of Sahel States, which brings together Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali.
The three countries are governed by military juntas and have strengthened their security and political ties with Russia after breaking with several traditional Western partners.
Following the clashes, Niger’s ruling junta says it is gradually restoring control across the capital. The statement, read on state television, comes after hours of fighting around some of the city’s most sensitive installations.
Although the main fighting appears to subside later in the day, regional security and diplomatic sources initially say some mutinous soldiers continue to hold two barracks around Niamey.
The recapture of Air Force Base 101 by the presidential guard, assisted by Russian forces, represents a significant development in the government’s effort to regain full control.
Supporters of the junta also call on “sincere patriots” to gather in support of the authorities at a major square in Niamey.
By late afternoon, several dozen people gather at the location while military music praising General Tiani plays and a platform is prepared for speeches. Neighboring Algeria condemns the unrest and expresses support for Niger’s government.
The latest clashes come as Niger continues to battle jihadist groups operating across the Sahel. Niamey’s airport has already come under attack twice this year. The Islamic State in the Sahel, known as EIS, targets the area in January, while the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, JNIM, the Sahel branch of al-Qaeda, attacks in late June.
The two jihadist organizations are competing for influence across the region while targeting civilians and security forces.
Their activities extend into neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali, which, like Niger, are governed by military juntas that come to power through coups.
Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, and increasingly distance themselves from traditional Western security partners, particularly France.
The three countries instead deepen their relationship with Russia and rely increasingly on cooperation with Russian forces as they confront the continuing security crisis in the Sahel.
Vanguard
