Gunfire Erupts in Niger’s Capital as Insurgents Attempt to Storm Presidential Palace

Heavy gunfire rocked Niger’s capital, Niamey, overnight as insurgents from within the armed forces attempted to storm the presidential palace, according to a security source who spoke with AFP. The attack on Saturday was successfully repelled by the presidential guard, though shooting continued in several neighbourhoods throughout the night.

The violence was concentrated in the city centre near the presidential palace, with additional gunfire reported in the airport area, which hosts a major military base. State television signal was cut for just over an hour before being restored at about 10:00 am local time. A local resident reported hearing “bursts of gunfire” around 7:00 am and noted that the weapons being used were not the kind typically carried by terrorists on motorbikes, adding that “the fighting has been non-stop since last night.” Another resident in the west of Niamey said he heard sporadic small arms fire at about 5:00 am.

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Social media posts reported shooting and explosions in the city, particularly in the administrative area where the presidential palace and national television station are located. Videos online showed armoured vehicles deployed to reinforce the neighbourhood near the airport.

Niger has been ruled by a military junta for three years and has struggled to contain jihadist violence that has plagued the West African country for around a decade. The latest incident highlights the ongoing instability and the threat posed by insurgent elements even within the country’s own security forces.

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