Al-Qaeda Affiliate STRIKES Niger Capital Airport 11 Soldiers Killed As JNIM Storms Strategic Airbase

A major terror attack has rocked Niger's capital after al-Qaeda-linked group JNIM claimed responsibility for a coordinated assault on Niamey's inte ational airport and a nearby military airbase. The attack left 11 soldiers and two civilians dead, while security forces killed 22 attackers and arrested around 20 suspects. The strategic airport, which hosts military infrastructure, drone facilities, and key regional assets, has now been targeted twice in 2026 by rival jihadist groups. Analysts wa that growing competition between al-Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates is driving increasingly deadly attacks across the Sahel region.