Intense gunfire and explosions rock Niamey
Residents of Niamey, the capital of Niger, were jolted awake by loud explosions and sustained gunfire in the early hours of Thursday. According to a Reuters journalist on the ground, the disturbances began nearly an hour prior and persisted until at least 00:12 GMT.
A video circulating on X (formerly Twitter) captured the chaotic scene, showing the night sky illuminated by gunfire. However, Reuters has yet to verify the authenticity of the footage.
Efforts to obtain an official statement from a spokesperson for Niger’s military government—which seized power in a 2023 coup—remained unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
The unrest underscores the ongoing security challenges facing Niger, which shares borders with Burkina Faso and Mali. Both neighboring nations have grappled with persistent jihadist insurgencies linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State for years.