Thirty-five people have been killed after gunmen struck Niger’s largest airport on Thursday, officials say – the second attack in less than five months.
Residents in the predominately Muslim country told the BBC they had just finished their morning prayers when explosions and gunshot sounds rang out from Diori Hamani international airport, located in the capital, Niamey.
In the evening, Niger’s defence ministry said the fatalities comprised 22 assailants, 11 soldiers, and two civilians.
Niger has been fighting an Islamist insurgency for a decade and in January, an organisation linked to the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for an attack on the same airport.
No group has said it was responsible for Thursday’s attack.
The violence had settled by mid-morning and security forces have since launched a manhunt for the attackers.
Lawalli Tsalha, who lives near the airport, which also hosts a military base, told the BBC: “We finished our prayer at about 05:50 (04:50 GMT) and shortly afterwards we heard a loud bang – like something had exploded, perhaps a tyre.
“It was only a little later that we realised what was happening.”
