Jihadists attack to an airport in Niger, 11 soldiers dead

JNIM, the Sahel branch of al-Qaeda, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Text: Markus Hirsilä
Published 2026-06-19

At least 11 soldiers and two civilians were killed in an attack on the airport in the Niger capital, Niamey, as reported by BBC and YLE.

The Islamist group JNIM, which has links to the al-Qaeda terrorist network, has claimed responsibility for the attack. 22 assailants were killed in the attack, so the death toll is at least 35 people.

The attack began at dawn on Thursday morning and lasted for hours, according to witnesses.

Niger has been ruled by a military government for three years, against which Islamist groups have waged an increasingly violent armed resistance campaign.

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