A heavily armed unidentified group has attacked Niamey's international airport, a security official in the West African state of Niger reported on Thursday.
The attackers forced their way onto the airport terrain in the early hours, opened fire and detonated explosions, a high-ranking officer at Diori Hamani Airport, who declined to be identified, told dpa.
The officer said that state defence and security forces had regained control of the airport buildings after around an hour. They had also cordoned off the area around the airport.
No initial information has been provided on the identity of the attackers or of any casualties.
Islamic State Sahel Province, an offshoot of the Islamic State terror militia, carried out an earlier attack on the airport and the adjacent air force base in January. German forces withdrew from the air base in August 2024.
Russian troops and drones purchased from Turkey have been based there since Niger's military government terminated cooperation with Germany and other Western countries.
Niger, lying at the western end of the Sahel Region, has a population of around 28 million and is one of the world's poorest countries.
A military junta seized power in July 2023. Coup leader General Abdourahmane Tchiani, who views Russia as a close ally, has been confirmed in office as president until at least 2030.
