Niger troops clash with presidential guard after palace attempt

Clashes erupted in Niger’s capital on Saturday between the presidential guard and elements of the armed forces, after a night of heavy gunfire in parts of the city.

Niger has been ruled for three years by a military junta that has struggled to contain jihadist violence, which has blighted the west African country for around a decade.

“There was an attempt by insurgents from the Nigerien armed forces to enter the presidential palace,” a security source told AFP.

“They were pushed back by the presidential guard. Exchanges of gunfire are continuing at the palace.”

An African diplomat in Niamey said that for now the presidential guard was still loyal to ruler General Abdourahamane Tiani.

The military said it was “gradually regaining control” after the mutineers took soldiers hostage at a base next ot the capital’s airport.

In a statement read out on public television and signed by Defence Minister General Salifou Mody, the authorities called on the public to “remain calm and freely go about their business”.

Gunfire began in the early hours of Saturday morning, prompting the military to issue a statement on its social media pages urging people to stay calm and “avoid sharing unverified information”.

“Our defence and security forces have been mobilised for the defence of the homeland,” the statement said.

One local resident told AFP that there was “heavy gunfire and explosions” at Base 101 in Niamey, a report confirmed by several other witnesses.

National TV station Tele Sahel went off air for just over an hour, with a black screen replacing normal programming both via satellite and online. It was restored around 10:00 am (0900 GMT).

Soldiers blocked access to the presidential palace and national television, residents added.

The first shots were heard at about 1:00 am local time and continued until daybreak, according to a video published by a local journalist filming the area around the airport.

Another local resident said he heard “bursts of gunfire” at about 7:00 am local time.

“I went to get credit for my phone. I saw a military vehicle heading towards the base that had to turn back,” he added.

“The weapons we’re hearing are not the kind that terrorists on motorbikes can carry. The fighting has been non-stop since last night.”

Another resident in the west of Niamey said he heard sporadic small arms fire at about 5:00 am.

Several social media posts also reported shooting and explosions in the city, particularly in the administrative area where the presidential palace and national television station are located.

Videos online showed armoured vehicles deployed to reinforce the neighbourhood near the airport.

– Rival jihadist groups –

Niamey airport has been targeted twice this year by jihadists, first by the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS) in January, then in late June by their rivals the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), the Sahel branch of Al-Qaeda.

The jihadist groups not only target civilians and the military but are also struggling for dominance over each other in the Sahel, and especially in Niger.

Twenty assailants were killed and four soldiers wounded in the January assault, authorities said at the time.

Tiani, head of the military regime that emerged from a coup in July 2023, spoke in January of “a flaw in the system” that “enabled the attack”, whose “objective was to destroy all of the air capabilities” of the army.

In June, at least 11 soldiers and two civilians were killed, as well as 22 attackers, according to the defence ministry. Both attacks were repelled by the army.

The EIS and JNIM are also active in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali, allies of Niger and ruled by military juntas that seized power in coups.

The three countries quit the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc, turned their backs on traditional Western partners in the fight against jihadist violence, especially France, and sought closer ties with Russia.

Air Force Base 101, located within the international airport complex, is home to the headquarters of Niamey’s Russian Africa Corps partners and the command of the unified force of the Alliance of Sahel States, of which Niger is a member with Burkina Faso and Mali.

The site is sensitive. Between December and January, it hosted a large shipment of uranium concentrate, which was held up while awaiting export. No movement of the shipment has been identified since.

AFP