Tensions between the military leadership in Niger and Western powers have reached a new low following a violent confrontation at the capital’s main airfield. The head of the junta has publicly expressed gratitude toward Russia for its military assistance during the clash, while simultaneously leveling serious allegations against the presidents of France, Bénin, and Côte d’Ivoire, whom he labeled as “sponsors” of the attackers.

According to reports from the Sahel news English services, the incident resulted in the deaths of twenty assailants—including one individual identified by the junta as a French national—and the arrest of eleven others. Four Niger soldiers were reportedly wounded during the exchange.

The assault took place overnight between Wednesday and Thursday at Base Aérienne 101. In a statement broadcast on national television, the Defense Minister, General Salifou Modi, described the attackers as a “remote-controlled mercenary group.” He noted that the initial 30-minute raid was met with a decisive air and ground counter-offensive.

General Abdourahamane Tiani, the junta leader, was explicit in his rhetoric. “We commend our defense and security forces… as well as our Russia partners who professionally defended their sector,” he stated. He then directed a warning toward Emmanuel Macron, Patrice Talon, and Alassane Ouattara, suggesting that Niger would no longer remain silent in the face of what he termed foreign interference.

Strategic assets and uranium at the center of the conflict

The Niamey airport is far more than a civilian transport hub; it is a vital military installation. It houses the headquarters of the unified force involved in Mali Niger Burkina reporting, a coalition formed to battle regional insurgency. Furthermore, the site is a temporary storage facility for over 1,000 tons of uranium. This stockpile is currently the subject of a fierce legal and diplomatic battle with the French nuclear giant Orano, which claims the Niger state has illegally expropriated its assets.

While the junta insists the raid was carried out by foreign-backed mercenaries, many tracking Sahel current affairs suggest a different possibility. The region is frequently targeted by groups such as JNIM (linked to Al-Qaeda) and the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS). Despite the junta’s claims, no jihadist organization had officially claimed responsibility for the airport strike as of Thursday evening.

The Sahel Reporter notes that the captured equipment and the presence of foreign nationals among the casualties are being used by the military government to bolster their narrative of external destabilization efforts originating from Europe and neighboring West Africa states.