Explosions and sustained heavy gunfire erupted early Thursday morning near the Diori Hamani International Airport and military airbase in Niamey, the capital of Niger, creating panic and forcing security operatives to completely block off the area.

Local residents reported that the assault began around 6:00 a.m. local time (05:00 GMT), with the sound of detonations and automatic weapons fire originating primarily from the main entrance of the strategic transportation hub and lasting for over an hour.

The incident marks a major security breach in the capital city, which serves as a vital base for counter-insurgency operations. The Diori Hamani International Airport houses Niger’s air command headquarters, tactical drone assets, and an active military installation. It also serves as a strategic center for the Alliance of Sahel States—a joint military coalition formed by the juntas of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso to combat violent extremist organizations across the region.

The apparent attack on Thursday follows an unprecedented, large-scale assault on the exact same airport facility earlier this year in January, which was claimed by the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS).

During that previous encounter, Nigerien armed forces, supported by allied Russian fighters, successfully repelled the invaders after a fierce shootout that damaged civilian aircraft and ignited a local ammunition cache.

Following the January incident, the military junta, led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, had demolished thousands of illegally built structures in the surrounding neighborhoods, asserting that the settlements had been infiltrated by terrorists to launch the raid.

As of Thursday morning, neither the Nigerien government nor military officials have released an official statement regarding the casualties, the operational status of the airport, or the specific faction behind this fresh outbreak of violence in the capital.