Niger says attempted coup thwarted, Russia claims role in halting it
An attempted coup was put down in Niger on Saturday after an attack on a military air base near Niamey, with Russia saying it helped repel the mutiny. Authorities say normal life is returning to the capital.
The Alliance of Sahel States, made up of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, described the attempted coup as a betrayal carried out by a group of soldiers seeking to destabilise the country. Officials have not disclosed how many troops took part in the plot or how many casualties resulted.
Niger's military ruler, Gen Tiani, who became president last year after ousting the country's elected leader, has not publicly commented on the incident. State television broadcast footage of the Presidential Guard arresting several alleged mutineers.
On Sunday, the Niger Press Agency reported that commercial life in the capital, Niamey, was returning to normal, with petrol stations and shops reopening. Supporters of the government gathered in a central square to show backing for the security forces and Tiani's administration.
Attack on an air base
Saturday's mutiny began at Air Base 101, part of the Diori Hamani airport complex, which hosts Nigerien military aircraft and drones as well as a counter-terrorism unit of the Alliance of Sahel States. According to Reuters, Russian and Italian forces are also stationed there.
Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso are all under military rule and have severed ties with Western partners in favour of closer cooperation with Russia. Despite this realignment, jihadist violence continues to affect all three countries.
The episode underscores that Niger's government faces not only an external insurgent threat but also signs of unrest within its own military ranks. The air base itself has already been attacked twice this year by jihadist groups — first by an affiliate of the Islamic State group, and later by one linked to al-Qaeda.
Nigerien authorities said security forces have stepped up patrols at key locations across Niamey since the attempted takeover, including the main airport entrance and the presidential compound.
