ISIS-Sahel Releases Chilling Video Claiming Night Raid on Niger’s Air Base 101 in Niamey

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Niger’s security crisis took a dramatic political turn after a terrorist attack on Diori Hamani International Airport and the adjoining Military Air Base 101, prompting an unusually blunt and confrontational response from President Abdourahmane Tchiani.

The attack occurred in the early hours of January 28–29, when armed militants riding motorcycles attempted to penetrate the perimeter of Air Base 101, a strategic military facility located beside Niger’s main international airport. According to the Niger Ministry of Defense, the assailants deployed drones and mortars in what authorities described as a coordinated and premeditated assault.

Nigerien defense forces, backed by Russian security allies, engaged the attackers in a brief but intense confrontation lasting approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Officials say around 20 militants were killed, while 11 others were wounded and captured. Although several military and civilian aircraft sustained damage, the government emphasized that no major civilian infrastructure was destroyed and airport operations were swiftly secured.

In response, the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) — comprising Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali — released a strongly worded official communiqué condemning the attack as “barbaric, cowardly, and indiscriminate.” The bloc described the assault as part of a wider destabilization strategy aimed at undermining regional security and sovereignty.

The AES statement warned that such attacks are not isolated incidents but are sustained by foreign-backed networks, asserting that those who finance, arm, or provide intelligence support to terrorist groups will be held morally and politically accountable. The confederation reaffirmed its collective resolve to pursue a coordinated, sovereign, and uncompromising fight against terrorism across the Sahel.

President Tchiani personally visited the attack site before convening an emergency meeting with senior military commanders. Shortly afterward, he delivered a fiery address on state television, issuing direct accusations against foreign leaders — a move that has further heightened regional and diplomatic tensions.

“Enough of listening to the barking of these puppets,” Tchiani said. “Let those behind these mercenaries — Macron, Talon, and Ouattara — be ready to hear our roar.”

The Nigerien leader explicitly accused French President Emmanuel Macron, Beninese President Patrice Talon, and Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara of organizing and financing the attack. No evidence has been publicly presented to support the allegations, and the governments named have not yet issued official responses.

The incident comes against the backdrop of Niger’s growing rift with Western powers following the 2023 military takeover and the withdrawal of U.S. and French forces, including the 2024 exit from Air Base 101, which once served as a major American drone hub. Niger has since deepened security cooperation with Russia, reshaping the balance of power in the region.

Security analysts say the attack — and the rhetoric that followed — highlights the fragile security environment in the Sahel and the increasing overlap between counterterrorism operations and geopolitical confrontation.

As investigations continue, the Niamey airport assault is now reverberating far beyond Niger’s borders, signaling a dangerous escalation in both militant activity and diplomatic hostilities across West Africa.