The shooting at Base 101 in Niamey began shortly after midnight on Saturday. By the end of the day, Niger’s military-led government said it had put down a mutiny that sent gunfire and explosions across the capital.
Defence Minister General Salifou Mody said a group of soldiers detained some of their comrades and opened fire at “certain sensitive sites.” Base 101 sits inside the complex of Diori Hamani International Airport and was once used by United States forces. Renegade soldiers hit it first, then the state broadcaster and the presidential palace, according to Al Jazeera. Fighting went on for several hours, and the state broadcaster was briefly taken off air.
State television said security forces gradually regained control. Dozens of rebel soldiers were reportedly killed or arrested. The ruling military council, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, asked people to stay calm. “Our Defence and Security Forces are mobilised for the Defence of the Fatherland,” it said. “Let us remain united, vigilant and supportive.”
Viktor Voropaev, the Russian ambassador, told TASS that Africa Corps, the Kremlin-backed force, had received a request for help neutralizing the mutineers. The whereabouts of Niger’s leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, have not been confirmed.
Who the mutineers were
They appear to include young soldiers from outside Niamey, especially the southwest. Reuters reported that men from Ouallam, Tera and Dosso took part, citing analysts and security officials. Troops from those areas have taken heavy losses fighting armed groups, particularly the regional ISIL affiliate. The size of the force and who led it were not immediately clear.
Heni Nsaibia, a senior West Africa analyst at ACLED, said mass-casualty overrun attacks on the military “are becoming commonplace and will continue to fuel unrest and aggravate tensions within the army ranks.”
Base 101 houses the general staff of the unified force of the Alliance of Sahel States, formed by Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, as well as the headquarters of the Africa Corps. It has been hit before: ISIL claimed an attack there in January 2026, and an armed attack on Niamey airport in June killed 11 soldiers and two civilians.
Reaction and outlook
The Alliance of Sahel States called the mutiny a “betrayal by a group of soldiers involved in a destabilisation plot” and said it had been “contained and thwarted.” It was unclear whether Mali or Burkina Faso sent direct military help. Algeria voiced its “full solidarity and firm support” for Niger, and Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry urged restraint.
Kabir Adamu, a security expert in Abuja, said the targets chosen showed “it was clearly an attempt to overthrow the government.” He argued that grievances over equipment, rotation of forces and officers in political posts rather than on the front line had built up. Rida Lyammouri of the Policy Center for the New South said Niger’s rulers have put resources into holding power, and that there are “no clear signs of the military bringing stability and security to the country.”
The military took power in a coup in July 2023, saying the elected government had failed to contain armed groups. Three years on, fighters linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL still carry out attacks.
