Niger’s head of government, General Abdourahamane Tiani, has accused France, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire of sponsoring an attack on a military base at Niamey’s international airport.
The allegations were made on state television on Thursday after Tiani visited the airbase at Diori Hamani International Airport.
Explosions and gunfire were reported late Wednesday night into Thursday at the airport, which is located about 10 kilometres (six miles) from the presidential palace. Tiani, who thanked “Russian partners” for helping repel the assault, did not present any evidence to support the claims.
Defence Minister Salifou Modi said the attack lasted “about 30 minutes” before being contained through a combined air and ground response. According to the defence ministry, four members of the armed forces were injured, while 20 attackers were killed. State television reported that a French national was among those killed.
Tiani also praised Russian troops stationed at the base for “defending their sector,” underscoring Niger’s deepening ties with Moscow, which has provided military support as the country confronts an insurgency linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL.
France, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire have not yet responded to the allegations.
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