The Confederation of Sahel States has expressed strong support for Niger following a terrorist attack on Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey on Thursday, which killed 11 soldiers and two civilians.

In a statement broadcast on Nigerien television on Saturday, the bloc — comprising Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger — praised the Nigerien armed forces for their swift and professional response, saying troops had "neutralized" the attackers during the assault.

It said the attack appeared aimed at weakening the operational capacity of Niger's military and helping terrorist groups recover from recent battlefield losses.

However, it said Nigerien forces quickly repelled the attackers, describing the operation as another defeat for militant groups and attributing the success to the army's vigilance, responsiveness and commitment.

The confederation said repeated and "orchestrated" attacks would not weaken its member states but instead strengthen unity among Sahel countries around their leaders' shared goals of protecting territorial integrity, safeguarding civilians and restoring lasting peace in the region.

An armed group linked to al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for Thursday's attack. Twenty-two attackers were also killed.