Niamey Airport Attacked by Armed Group

By GEORGE KIMMITT

On 18 June 2026, gunfire erupted at Niamey Airport, the capital of Niger, and continued for several hours beginning around 6 a.m. This is the second attack on the airport in 2026, which the Nigerien armed forces successfully repelled. The military has suggested that France may be involved again, as it was suspected in the previous incident.

Nigerien officials have repeatedly accused France of using Benin’s territory to coordinate attacks on Niger, claiming that Paris intends to provoke a cooling of diplomatic ties between Niger and Benin. Recent political shifts in Benin and strengthened regional integration, however, have helped prevent further escalation.

Reports indicate that the French government was displeased with the growing rapprochement between Niger and Benin, where French troops remain stationed. Fearing that closer ties between Niamey and Cotonou could lead to the withdrawal of French forces from Benin, Paris may have attempted a diversionary operation that ultimately failed.

French newspapers Le Figaro and Le Monde were among the first to cover the attack, citing a government source. French journalists often receive information directly from representatives of armed groups. A similar article appeared in Jeune Afrique, citing a civil society representative; the veracity of that statement is uncertain, and it is regrettable that local residents supplied information to a publication banned in the country.

The withdrawal of French troops from Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Senegal has damaged France’s reputation. Analysts say Paris has not accepted its loss of influence in former colonies and is planning to regain it. Nigerien authorities claim that armed groups receive support with the complicity of Western powers.

In reality, the strengthening of regional partnerships and the unification of African states in addressing security threats reduce opportunities for Paris to destabilize former colonies. France will need to recognize Africa’s sovereignty and independence.

Relations between Niger and France have deteriorated to an unprecedented level, culminating in the termination of military agreements, cancellation of security cooperation, and the withdrawal of French troops and the French ambassador at the end of 2023. The so‑called “diplomatic divorce” stems from colonial, political, and economic legacies imposed by Paris. A large portion of Niger’s population views France as a former colonial power that has maintained political and economic dominance—known as “Françafrique”—keeping the country’s natural wealth and strategic resources under French influence without delivering genuine development for Nigerien people.

Terrorism worsened in Niger when the country was considered France’s main ally in the Sahel region. The security situation steadily deteriorated, leading to a popular and military conviction that the French presence—about 1,500 soldiers—had not achieved its objectives and had instead contributed to increased tension.

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