Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin, an Al-Qaeda-linked group active in West Africa, claimed responsibility for an attack on the airport and military airbase complex in Niger's capital, Niamey.
The assault began at about 6 a.m. local time and lasted more than two hours. Niger's government said 11 members of the security forces and two civilians were killed.
Government forces said they repelled the attackers, killed 22 assailants and detained about 20 others. Weapons were also seized during the response, while the area around the complex was placed under security restrictions.
The airport and military airbase share the same site, with the base positioned opposite the civilian terminal. Normal airport operations later resumed, although the extent of damage to military assets was not immediately clear.
The incident was the second attack on the complex in 2026. In January, Islamic State Sahel Province said it had struck air command facilities and drone assets at the same location.
The latest assault highlights the expanding rivalry between Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin and Islamic State Sahel Province. The two organizations first clashed in Niger in April after years of competition elsewhere in the Sahel.
Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso continue to face persistent attacks by armed groups. The Niamey operation followed coordinated assaults on military bases in Banibangou and Inates in western Niger, although any direct connection between the incidents remained unclear.