Niger accuses France, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire of airport attack

Niger's military killed 20 gunmen and captured 11 others during a thwarted assault on a Nigerien Air Force base in the capital, which took place overnight into Thursday morning.

Confirming the incident in a televised address, Defense Minister Salifou Modi revealed that the militants attacked the air base for about 30 minutes before being repelled by a combined ground and air response.

Meanwhile, services returned to normal during the day at Diori Hamani International Airport, which houses an air force base and is some 10 kilometres from the presidential palace.

Speaking on state radio, Niger's military leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, commended defense and security forces, as well as Russian allies, for what he described as a professional response to the attack.

"We remind the sponsors of these mercenaries, notably Emmanuel Macron, Patrice Talon, and Alassane Ouattara: we have heard them bark enough; now they should get ready to listen to us," he said in his address.

The channel broadcast footage of Tchiani visiting the military base, showing the bodies of the attackers, and reported that there was "a Frenchman" among them.

The offices of the presidents of France, Benin, and Côte d'Ivoire are yet to comment on the matter.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Niger has been facing escalating insecurity from terrorist groups such as JNIM and ISIS (Daesh), with persistent attacks, civilian casualties, and displacement mainly concentrated in the country's western regions.

Report edited by CGTN Africa's Dinah Matengo