On the evening of Jan. 28, a number of dozen Islamic State fighters launched a large-scale assault on the worldwide airport in Niamey, the capital of Niger, and the adjoining air pressure facility often known as Base 101. The assault and ensuing clashes with the Nigerien military—backed by Russian troops from Africa Corps—lasted about an hour, after which many of the attackers managed to flee on bikes.
The human toll of the operation stays unclear. Nigerien authorities say they killed 20 assailants and arrested 11 others, whereas acknowledging that 4 of their very own troopers have been wounded—figures that haven’t been independently verified. The Islamic State Sahel Province, or ISSP, has not launched its personal casualty claims. The group focused Niger’s air property, and in response to Africa Intelligence, it destroyed one helicopter, three or 4 planes, and a fight drone. Satellite tv for pc imagery reveals injury to hangars at Base 101 in addition to to the civilian airport runway, whereas two civilian planes parked on the airport have been additionally broken.
The assault, apparently months within the making, amounted to a present of pressure by ISSP, which demonstrated its skill to hold out advanced, large-scale operations in opposition to exhausting navy targets. In distinction, the group’s rival and enemy, al-Qaida-affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, or JNIM, is much less firmly entrenched in Niger—however extra so in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso.
