Attack on Niamey airport: Benin expresses its solidarity with the Nigerien people

Benin condemned the attacks that occurred this Thursday, June 18, 2026, near the Diori-Hamani international airport in Niamey. According to the Nigerien Ministry of Defense, eleven soldiers, two civilians, and 22 attackers were killed during this attack attributed to presumed jihadists.

The Beninese government reacted after the attack targeting the Diori-Hamani international airport area in Niamey early Thursday morning. In a statement issued in Cotonou, Beninese authorities said they learned “with emotion” of the attacks that occurred near this strategic infrastructure of the Nigerien capital.

According to the Nigerien Ministry of Defense, the attack resulted in eleven soldiers dead, two civilians killed, and four injured. On the attacker side, 22 people were killed and 20 suspects were arrested, along with the seizure of weapons and ammunition. The assault was repelled by Nigerien forces, while a large military operation was still ongoing in the area.

The international airport, presented by the authorities as completely secure, remained open to air traffic. The National Civil Aviation Agency indicated that normal activities resumed a few hours after the attack.

An attack repelled near a sensitive site

According to initial reports from witnesses, the attackers tried to stage an incursion around 5 a.m. into the perimeter of the Diori-Hamani international airport. Gunfire and explosions were heard in the area before the defense and security forces repelled the attack.

A local resident cited by Deutsche Welle claims that the attackers arrived in a taxi, while other sources mention two taxis. This information, reported as a testimony, has yet to be officially detailed by the Nigerien authorities.

After the initial exchanges of gunfire, the area was quickly barricaded. Security forces conducted checks around the airport, where access was heavily restricted. According to several testimonies, calm returned in the morning, although the security measures remained heightened.

The attacked site is considered strategic. It houses the international airport of Niamey, a base of the Nigerien air force as well as important military installations. A similar attack had already targeted the airport and the adjacent military base at the end of January 2026, causing several injuries and material damage according to the Nigerien authorities.

Cotonou condemns “with the utmost firmness”

In its statement, the Beninese government strongly condemns the attack and emphasizes the security implications of the event. Cotonou believes that the aggression targets “a strategic civilian infrastructure” and endangers the security of the populations.

“Benin condemns this aggression with the utmost firmness, which targets a strategic civilian infrastructure and jeopardizes the security of the populations,” states the official communiqué.

The Beninese government also sends a message of solidarity to the Nigerien people and the authorities of Niger. “In this painful circumstance, the Beninese Government expresses its full solidarity with the brotherly Nigerien people, as well as with President Abdourahamane Tiani and the authorities of the Republic of Niger,” the text continues.

Cotonou also expresses its “thoughts of support” to the Nigeriens and reaffirms “its attachment to the bonds of brotherhood and friendship that unite the Beninese and Nigerien peoples.”

A message in a context of rapprochement between Cotonou and Niamey

This reaction comes during a period of gradual resumption of dialogue between Benin and Niger. After several months of tensions related to the closure of the common border and the consequences of the coup d’état in July 2023 in Niger, the two countries have initiated new diplomatic exchanges.

The visit of Beninese President Romuald Wadagni to Niamey in early June 2026 marked an important step in this dynamic. It notably paved the way for the establishment of a joint committee tasked with working on the conditions for reopening the border between the two countries.

In this context, Cotonou’s message goes beyond mere security condemnation. It also reflects an expressed desire to maintain friendly relations with Niamey as both states attempt to gradually normalize their relations.

For now, Nigerien authorities attribute the attack to presumed jihadists, but no claims of responsibility had been reported immediately by major news agencies. Security operations are ongoing to establish the exact circumstances of the assault and identify any potential complicity.