(../../../../favicon_aje.ico) Gunfire, blasts heard in several areas of Niger capital Niamey | Armed Groups News | Al Jazeera    (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/29/gunfire-blasts-heard-in-several-areas-of-niger-capital-niamey)                                             (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/8/29/gunfire-blasts-heard-in-several-areas-of-niger-capital-niamey)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AFP__20230907__33UF28P__v1__HighRes__NigerCoupPolitics-1761162230.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440)  (../../../../wp-content/uploads/2025/10/AFP__20230907__33UF28P__v1__HighRes__NigerCoupPolitics-1761162230.jpg@resize=770,513&quality=80)     (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org/scripttemplates/otSDKStub.js) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (../../../../static/css/vendor~main~d08ff9cb.24bf1742.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~748942c6.6c6e15fe.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~b07b7304.25927f0e.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~6e6dca10.74fd263a.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~5db14389.c7afea12.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/media/Roboto-Bold.52bb58c8.woff2) (../../../../static/media/Roboto-Regular.c5bf51b6.woff2)  (../../../../static/css/vendor~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-blo~5f903362.2e08e417.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~9c0c5d0c.c65718e9.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-blog-container~containers~72501995.3d2cbba2.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~pages/amp-article~pages/article-page~493df0b3.1e546aab.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.5839b1ed.r2.chunk.css)   Skip links (gunfire-blasts-heard-in-several-areas-of-niger-capital-niamey@traffic_source=rss.html#main-content-area) Skip to Content  (https://www.aljazeera.com/)          (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Sign up  Show navigation menu     Navigation menu (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News    Show more news sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/africa/) Africa   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia/) Asia   (https://www.aljazeera.com/us-canada/) US & Canada   (https://www.aljazeera.com/latin-america/) Latin America   (https://www.aljazeera.com/europe/) Europe   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia-pacific/) Asia Pacific      (https://www.aljazeera.com/middle-east/) Middle East   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/explainer/) Explained   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sports) Sport   (https://www.aljazeera.com/opinion/) Opinion   (https://www.aljazeera.com/videos/) Video   More   Show more sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/features/) Features   (https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/) Economy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/human-rights/) Human Rights   (https://www.aljazeera.com/climate-crisis) Climate Crisis   (https://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/) Investigations   (https://www.aljazeera.com/interactives/) Interactives   (https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/) In Pictures   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/science-and-technology/) Science & Technology   (https://www.aljazeera.com/audio/podcasts) Podcasts   (https://www.aljazeera.com/travel) Travel   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored/) Sponsored Content        (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Click here to search search     Sign up        (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News |(https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/armed-groups/) Armed Groups   Gunfire, blasts heard in several areas of Niger capital Niamey Shots were heard around the city’s Diori Hamani international airport and near the presidential palace.   Listen   Listen (2 mins)       Save       Share Gunfire, blasts heard in several areas of Niger capital Niamey on social media share-nodes    Share (https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fvnq1mb) facebook      (https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Gunfire%2C%20blasts%20heard%20in%20several%20areas%20of%20Niger%20capital%20Niamey&source=sharethiscom&related=sharethis&via=AJEnglish&url=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fvnq1mb) x    (whatsapp://send?text=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fvnq1mb) whatsapp-stroke    (https://aje.news/vnq1mb)  copylink          google       Add Al Jazeera on Google  info      (Niger's Presidential Palace in Niamey, Niger)   Niger's presidential palace in Niamey [File: AFP]   By  AFPand Reuters   Published On 29 Aug 2026 29 Aug 2026    Sustained gunfire and explosions rang out across several areas of Niger’s capital, Niamey, according to two Reuters witnesses, with the cause not immediately clear. The incident early on Saturday is the third time the city, and specifically a complex housing the international airport and a military airbase, has experienced major unrest this year, underscoring persistent insecurity under the military-led government that seized power in a coup in 2023 and vowed to restore order.        A security source told Reuters that “terrorists” had attacked the city’s Diori Hamani international airport and attempted to breach the security perimeter around the presidential palace. “There is heavy gunfire and explosions at Base 101 in Niamey,” one local resident told AFP, a report confirmed by several other witnesses, and referring to a major military installation in Niamey. Bana Wagana Ibrahim, a member of Niger’s Bureau of the Consultative Council and a deputy ⁠in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) parliament, said on Facebook that attackers had targeted Base 101 but that security forces had regained control. “Another cowardly attack on Base 101 and once again our defence and security forces ensured… Situation under control,” Ibrahim wrote. Reuters news agency could not immediately verify the claims made by the security source and Ibrahim. A second security source told Reuters that security forces had launched search operations and that the attackers had been “neutralised”, with others fleeing. The second witness said the gunfire had been heavy and persistent around the presidential palace. Advertisement    Videos online showed armoured vehicles deployed to reinforce the neighbourhood near the airport. Niger’s national television station was also cut off following the overnight gunfire in Niamey, local residents told AFP. At 08:00 GMT, a black screen had replaced Tele Sahel’s programming both via satellite and online. Soldiers blocked access to the presidential palace and the national television headquarters, residents added. The Nigerien military urged people to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information, saying its defence and security forces had been mobilised. Niamey airport has been targeted twice this year by armed groups, first by ISIL affiliate Islamic State in the Sahel in January and then by (https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/2025/11/11/the-take-why-al-qaedas-sahel-branch-is-blocking-fuel-to-mali) JNIM, the Sahel branch of al Qaeda, in June. Niger, a mineral-rich West African nation with significant uranium, oil and gold resources, has been ruled by the military since a July 2023 coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. Since seizing power, General Abdourahamane Tchiani’s military government has shifted away from Western partners, deepened ties with Russia and joined Mali and Burkina Faso in AES, a ⁠breakaway from the regional ECOWAS bloc.            aj-logo             aj-logo             aj-logo       Advertisement          About About   Show more  (https://www.aljazeera.com/about-us) About Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/code-of-ethics/) Code of Ethics   (https://www.aljazeera.com/terms-and-conditions/) Terms and Conditions   (https://www.aljazeera.com/eu-eea-regulatory/) EU/EEA Regulatory Notice   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/) Privacy Policy   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/cookie/) Cookie Policy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Cookie Preferences    (https://trust.aljazeera.net/accessibility/) Accessibility Statement   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sitemap) Sitemap   (https://careers.aljazeera.net/) Work for us      Connect Connect   Show more  (https://network.aljazeera.net/en/contact?tid=6) Contact Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/user-accounts-help) User Accounts Help   (https://commercial.aljazeera.net/) Advertise with us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/stay-connected) Stay Connected   (https://www.aljazeera.com/newsletters) Newsletters   (https://sat.aljazeera.net/en) Channel Finder   (https://www.aljazeera.com/schedule/) TV Schedule   (https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/) Podcasts   (https://webapps.aljazeera.net/aje/tips/) Submit a Tip   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored) Paid Partner Content      Our Channels Our Channels   Show more  (http://aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Arabic   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Al Jazeera English   (https://www.ajiunit.com/) Al Jazeera Investigative Unit   (https://www.aljazeeramubasher.net/) Al Jazeera Mubasher   (http://doc.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Documentary   (http://balkans.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Balkans   (http://ajplus.net/) AJ+      Our Network Our Network   Show more  (http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/) Al Jazeera Centre for Studies   (http://training.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Media Institute   (http://learning.aljazeera.net/) Learn Arabic   (http://liberties.aljazeera.com/en) Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights   (http://forum.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Forum   (https://hotels.aljazeera.net/en) Al Jazeera Hotel Partners        Follow Al Jazeera English: (https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera) facebook       (https://twitter.com/ajenglish) twitter     (https://www.youtube.com/aljazeeraenglish) youtube     (https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/?hl=en) instagram-colored-outline                          (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml) rss       (Al Jazeera Media Network logo)   © 2026 Al Jazeera Media Network