Niger Junta Repels Attempted Coup as Loyalist Troops Retake Key Sites in Niamey
Two security sources and a diplomat said loyalist forces had secured the presidential palace by about 0900 GMT, while the perimeter of Diori Hamani International Airport remained a major point of tension.
Forces loyal to Niger’s military government have reportedly thwarted an attempted coup in the capital, Niamey, after a night of gunfire and explosions around strategic locations, including the presidential palace and Diori Hamani International Airport.
The junta’s defence ministry said security forces had regained control of locations targeted during the overnight assault, although security sources said the situation around the airport remained unclear as of Saturday morning.
The attempted uprising reportedly began at dawn when mutinous soldiers from a military base in Niamey opened fire on sensitive government and security installations.
State television and radio were temporarily taken off air during the confrontation, with residents reporting that normal programming was replaced by a black screen.
When broadcasting resumed, state television reported that mutinous troops had attacked strategic sites in the capital and that security forces had moved quickly to contain the situation.
A security source told AFP that insurgents within the armed forces attempted to force their way into the presidential palace but were repelled by members of the presidential guard.
Two security sources and a diplomat said loyalist forces had secured the presidential palace by about 0900 GMT, while the perimeter of Diori Hamani International Airport remained a major point of tension.
The reported coup attempt represents the latest challenge to military ruler General Abdourahamane Tiani, who seized power in July 2023 after overthrowing President Mohamed Bazoum.
According to a Nigerien security source and Yvan Guichaoua, a senior researcher at the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies, some of the soldiers involved in the assault were reportedly drawn from units operating around Ouallam, Tera and Dosso in southwestern Niger.
Those areas have been heavily affected by attacks from jihadist groups linked to the Islamic State, with frontline military units reportedly suffering significant casualties.
Analysts have consequently linked the reported mutiny to possible growing dissatisfaction among some soldiers over the government’s handling of the security crisis and the heavy losses sustained by troops fighting armed groups.
The attempted coup also comes amid increasing tensions surrounding Niger’s uranium sector and the junta’s efforts to assert greater state control over the country’s strategic mineral resources.
Nigerien authorities recently seized assets belonging to French nuclear company Orano, which had relied heavily on Niger for uranium supplies. Authorities have also transferred mining permits previously associated with Orano and GoviEx to state-backed companies.
The latest confrontation adds another layer of uncertainty to Niger’s political and security situation, nearly three years after the military took power and subsequently broke with several traditional Western allies.
Authorities had yet to provide a full account of the reported mutiny, including the number of soldiers involved, casualties recorded during the clashes and whether all strategic locations in Niamey had been completely secured.
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