Armed men on motorcycles attacked Niger's main airport and military air base outside Niamey on January 29, 2026, triggering a firefight that left 20 attackers dead and 4 security personnel wounded. Military ruler Abdourahamane Tiani immediately accused France, Benin, and Ivory Coast of sponsoring the assault—offering no evidence. The next day, the Islamic State – Sahel Province claimed responsibility through its Amaq News Agency, directly contradicting the junta's allegations. Benin's government rejected Tiani's claims. A uranium stockpile moved from a French-controlled mine sat nearby, reportedly unaffected.
The attack marked the most brazen jihadist assault on Niger's capital since the July 2023 coup that expelled French and American troops and invited Russian military advisers to replace them. Niger, along with Mali and Burkina Faso, formally withdrew from the West African economic bloc ECOWAS on January 29, 2025—exactly one year before this attack—completing a regional realignment that has replaced decades of French military presence with Russian security partnerships. Jihadist violence has surged 94 percent in Niger since the transition, with Islamic State and JNIM expanding operations into previously secure regions including the capital area and the Niger-Nigeria border corridor; on February 2, ISSP militants attacked a military camp in Ayorou, killing at least three soldiers and seizing vehicles, signaling sustained operational tempo. The junta now faces a two-front challenge: militant groups gaining ground nationwide and diplomatic isolation from its coastal neighbors.
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People Involved
Abdourahamane Tchiani
President of Niger and head of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (Sworn in for five-year term in March 2025)
Mohamed Bazoum
Ousted President of Niger (2021-2023) (Detained without trial in presidential palace since July 2023)
Salifou Modi
Vice President and Defense Minister of Niger (Leading military cooperation with Russia)
Organizations Involved
AL
Alliance of Sahel States
Regional Military-Political Bloc
Status: Operational since September 2023; became confederation in July 2024
A mutual defense pact and confederation formed by the military juntas of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso after their coups.
RU
Russia's Africa Corps
Russian Military Force
Status: Deployed in Niger since April 2024
Russian military force that replaced Wagner Group operations in Africa following Yevgeny Prigozhin's death in August 2023.
OR
Orano
French Nuclear Energy Company
Status: Lost operational control of Niger mines; pursuing international arbitration
French state-owned nuclear fuel company that operated uranium mines in Niger for decades until the junta seized them.
JA
Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM)
Al-Qaeda-affiliated Jihadist Group
Status: Expanding operations across Sahel and coastal West Africa
Al-Qaeda's main affiliate in the Sahel, responsible for roughly half of the region's 76,900 conflict deaths since 2019.
Timeline
ISSP Attacks Ayorou Military Camp
Security
Islamic State Sahel Province militants assaulted a National Guard camp in Ayorou, Tillabéri Region, near the Mali border, killing at least three soldiers, seizing three machine-gun equipped vehicles, and briefly occupying the site before retreating north.
Armed Attack on Niamey Airport and Air Base
Security
Armed men on motorcycles attacked Diori Hamani International Airport and adjacent military base. Niger reported 20 attackers killed, 11 arrested, 4 security personnel wounded. Junta accused France, Benin, and Ivory Coast of sponsoring the assault.
Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Airport Attack
Security
The Islamic State – Sahel Province (ISSP), through its Amaq News Agency, claimed responsibility for the Niamey airport attack, describing it as a 'surprise and coordinated attack' on the military base. The claim directly contradicted Niger's accusations against France, Benin, and Ivory Coast.
Benin Rejects Niger's Accusations
Diplomatic
Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji, spokesman for Benin's government, officially rejected Niger's allegation that Benin sponsored the airport attack. France and Ivory Coast did not immediately comment on the accusations.
Terrorists operating in collaboration with JNIM fighters attacked Damala village in Nigeria's Borgu area near the Niger border, killing four residents and looting foodstuffs and livestock. The attack followed a January 3 massacre at Kasuwan Daji and a January 5 assault on a police checkpoint, signaling JNIM's expanding operations into the Niger-Nigeria corridor.
Burkina Faso Assumes AES Chairmanship
Diplomatic
Mali's President Assimi Goïta handed over the chairmanship of the Alliance of Sahel States to Burkina Faso's leader Ibrahim Traoré, who will head the confederation throughout 2026.
Niger Moves Uranium Despite Court Order
Economic
A convoy carrying approximately 1,050 tonnes of yellowcake uranium left the Somair site; buyer and destination undisclosed.
Tribunal Bars Niger from Selling Uranium
Legal
World Bank arbitration tribunal issued interim order prohibiting Niger from selling or transferring uranium mined at Somair.
Tiani Sworn In as President
Political
General Tiani was formally inaugurated for a five-year presidential term and dissolved all political parties.
Niger Exits ECOWAS
Diplomatic
Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso formally withdrew from ECOWAS after one year's notice, issuing new Alliance of Sahel States passports.
Junta Seizes Orano Uranium Operations
Economic
Niger took operational control of the French-owned Somair uranium mine, citing expired agreements and national sovereignty.
US Completes Military Withdrawal
Military
Last American troops departed Air Base 201 in Agadez, ending US counterterrorism operations in Niger.
Russian Africa Corps Arrives in Niger
Military
First Russian military personnel deployed to Niger, training troops on drone operations at the Niamey air base.
Junta Orders US Troop Withdrawal
Military
Niger's military government demanded approximately 1,000 US service members leave the country.
French Troops Complete Withdrawal
Military
The last French military aircraft and troops departed Niger, ending decades of security partnership.
Niger Signs Military Agreement with Russia
Diplomatic
Defense Minister Salifou Modi and Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yevkurov signed a military cooperation agreement in Niamey.
France Announces Military Withdrawal
Military
President Macron announced France would withdraw its ambassador and 1,500 troops from Niger by year's end.
Alliance of Sahel States Formed
Diplomatic
Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso signed a mutual defense pact creating the Alliance of Sahel States.
Junta Requests Russian Military Support
Diplomatic
Niger's new military government requested Wagner Group protection from internal and external threats, including potential ECOWAS intervention.
Military Coup Ousts President Bazoum
Political
Presidential Guard commander Abdourahamane Tiani led a coup detaining elected President Mohamed Bazoum, ending Niger's democratic transition.
Scenarios
1
Jihadist Violence Escalates, Junta Loses Ground
Discussed by: International Crisis Group, Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, Global Terrorism Index analysts
JNIM and Islamic State affiliates continue gaining territory as the Russian security partnership fails to reverse insurgent momentum. Niger follows the trajectory of Mali, where jihadists now control or contest large portions of the country and have implemented fuel blockades threatening the capital. The junta faces a legitimacy crisis as security—the stated justification for the coup—deteriorates rather than improves.
2
Russia Deepens Engagement, Niger Becomes Moscow's Sahel Anchor
Discussed by: Washington Institute for Near East Policy, War on the Rocks analysts, Konrad Adenauer Foundation
Russia expands its Africa Corps presence and provides more sophisticated weapons systems, including air defense and drone capabilities, in exchange for resource access. Niger becomes a key node in Russia's African influence network, with Niamey serving as the headquarters for Alliance of Sahel States military operations backed by Russian advisers and equipment.
3
Regional Tensions Trigger Proxy Conflict
Discussed by: Security analysts at International Counter-Terrorism Academy (Ivory Coast), West Africa observers
Accusations against France, Benin, and Ivory Coast escalate into actual proxy warfare, with coastal West African states supporting opposition to the junta while Russia backs Niamey. The closed Niger-Benin border remains a flashpoint, and isolated attacks become part of a broader pattern of destabilization across the region.
4
Uranium Dispute Attracts New Buyers, Isolates Niger Further
Discussed by: Nuclear industry analysts, Reuters, mining industry observers
Niger sells its uranium stockpile to Russia, Iran, Turkey, or other buyers despite international arbitration rulings, generating revenue but deepening isolation from Western markets and international institutions. Orano pursues asset seizures, and Niger faces growing legal and financial complications that limit its economic options.
Historical Context
French Withdrawal from Mali (2022)
February 2022
What Happened
France withdrew its 2,400 Barkhane counterterrorism troops from Mali after the military junta invited Russian Wagner mercenaries and publicly demanded French departure. The pullout ended nearly a decade of French military operations against jihadists in the Sahel.
Outcome
Short Term
Wagner forces replaced French troops, and Mali cut diplomatic ties with Paris. ECOWAS imposed sanctions on the junta.
Long Term
Jihadist violence in Mali increased dramatically. By late 2025, JNIM controlled or contested large swaths of territory and had implemented blockades threatening the capital Bamako. The pattern repeated in Burkina Faso and Niger.
Why It's Relevant Today
Niger's trajectory mirrors Mali's almost exactly: coup, Western troop expulsion, Russian replacement, ECOWAS withdrawal, and escalating jihadist violence. Mali's current crisis may preview Niger's near-term future.
Camp Simba Attack, Kenya (2020)
January 2020
What Happened
Approximately 30-40 al-Shabaab militants attacked a joint US-Kenyan military base near Manda Bay, Kenya, destroying five aircraft and helicopters including an intelligence surveillance plane. Three Americans died in the first al-Shabaab attack targeting US forces in Kenya.
Outcome
Short Term
US and Kenyan forces repelled the attack but suffered significant equipment losses. The assault demonstrated jihadist capability to strike hardened military targets.
Long Term
Al-Shabaab continued cross-border operations but did not repeat large-scale base attacks in Kenya. The incident prompted enhanced base security measures across East Africa.
Why It's Relevant Today
The Niamey airport attack shares tactical similarities—a brazen nighttime assault on a strategic military installation. However, unlike Kenya, Niger's junta blamed foreign governments rather than acknowledging jihadist responsibility, complicating any coordinated regional response.
France's Operation Léopard, Kolwezi, Zaire (1978)
May 1978
What Happened
French Foreign Legion paratroopers conducted an airborne assault to rescue 2,800 European hostages held by Katangese rebels in the mining town of Kolwezi. The operation killed 247 rebels and rescued most hostages, though rebels had already massacred about 160 Europeans.
Outcome
Short Term
French and Belgian forces secured the region before handing control to an inter-African peacekeeping force from Morocco, Senegal, Togo, and Gabon.
Long Term
The intervention reinforced France's role as security guarantor for African governments but also sowed resentment that would fuel anti-French sentiment for decades.
Why It's Relevant Today
Niger's accusations that France sponsors armed attacks represent a complete inversion of the historical dynamic: where African governments once requested French military intervention, Sahel juntas now portray France as the threat they need Russian protection against.
