Niger: Attacks Within and Without
On August 29, Niger’s airport in the capital Niamey came under attack for the third time this year. The first two attacks were carried out by two different jihadist groups, illustrating the increasing threat they pose. This time, however, the attackers came from within Niger’s own armed forces and exposed a new vulnerability. The simultaneous targeting of the airport, presidential palace and national television and radio stations bore many of the hallmarks of an attempted coup, yet Niger’s Minister of Defence described the events as a mouvement d’humeur — literally a “mood movement” — carefully avoiding any suggestion of a coup.
This article was first published by ICDI and the full text can be read on their website.
(Photo credit: Canva Teams)