Islamic State claims Niger airport attack

The “surprise and coordinated” assault inflicted significant damage, the group has reportedly said in a statement

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on Niger’s main international airport in the capital, an intelligence group that monitors the activities of jihadist organizations has reported, citing a statement.

Diori Hamani International Airport, which hosts Air Base 101, was attacked late Wednesday before calm returned early Thursday morning.

Niger’s Defense Ministry said gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on the air force base for about 30 minutes before they were repelled by security forces. The ministry said 20 militants were killed in the gunfire and 11 others arrested. Four Nigerien soldiers were injured, while military facilities and civilian aircraft on the tarmac were damaged, according to the authorities.

Earlier, Niger’s transitional leader, Abdourahamane Tchiani, accused French President Emmanuel Macron, Benin’s Patrice Talon, and Ivory Coast’s Alassane Ouattara of sponsoring the “mercenaries” and vowed retaliation.

READ MORE: France behind Niger airport attack – leader

On Friday, Benin’s government spokesperson, Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji, dismissed the allegations as “not surprising,” adding that “even in Niger, people don’t believe it.”

In a statement, Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) described the assault as a “surprise and coordinated attack” that inflicted “significant damage,” but provided no details, Reuters reported, citing SITE Intelligence Group. Other news outlets said the claim was published by Amaq News Agency, the terror group’s propaganda wing.

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Niger and its neighbors, Mali and Burkina Faso, have been grappling with violence for more than a decade, with armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State repeatedly targeting civilians and national security forces.

The three West African states have expelled French troops previously deployed on counterterrorism missions, accusing France of failing to contain the insurgency. Niamey, Bamako and Ouagadougou have since formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and forged new partnerships, including with Russia, as they seek alternative support to address the region’s deepening security crisis.