ISIS announced, in a statement attributed to it, that its members carried out an attack on Niamey International Airport during the night of Wednesday - Thursday, January 29, 2026, following what it described as intensive surveillance.
According to the statement, the attack targeted the main air base of the Nigerian army inside the airport, using various weapons, which allegedly led to the destruction of the air command center, a number of drones, and other military aircraft, in addition to burning and destroying vehicles and ammunition stores.
The statement added a threat to continue targeting government forces, which it described as “enemy armies.”
These allegations come in light of the deteriorating security situation in Niger, especially in the capital, Niamey, and the western and southern regions, where armed groups linked to the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda are active, taking advantage of the political and security challenges that the country has been experiencing since the recent military coups and the decline in security cooperation with some international partners.
Niamey International Airport and its military facilities are considered one of the most important strategic locations in the country, as it includes an air base used in the operations of the Nigerian army to combat armed groups and monitor borders.
Any potential targeting of him is viewed as an attempt to create a moral impact, regardless of the extent of the actual damage, pending what investigations or official statements from the Nigerian authorities will reveal in the coming days.
