JNIM claims deadly attack on Niamey airport and military base

West Africa's al Qaeda affiliate, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for a coordinated attack on Niger's main airport and a nearby military airbase in the capital Niamey. The assault, which began early Thursday and lasted several hours, left at least 11 soldiers and two civilians dead, according to the Nigerien government. Niger's defense minister reported that security forces repelled the attack, killing 22 militants and arresting approximately 20 others. The strike comes six months after a previous large-scale assault on the same sensitive site, highlighting ongoing jihadist threats in the region.