The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Monday that its military personnel, operating under the African Corps designation, jointly repelled a significant attack claimed by the Islamic State (ISIL) armed group on Niger’s main airport in Niamey last week. This confirmation validates earlier reports from Nigerien military rulers regarding assistance from their "Russian partners" during the rare assault on the capital.
The engagement resulted in the death of twenty attackers, including one French national, and left four Nigerien army soldiers wounded, according to state television reports which also noted the capture of at least eleven fighters. Moscow's Foreign Ministry issued a statement strongly condemning the incident, characterizing it as the latest extremist action in the region.
Russia drew a parallel to a similar incident in September 2024 targeting the international airport in Mali’s capital, suggesting external forces providing instructor and technical support were involved in both instances. Niger’s military chief, Abdourahamane Tchiani, reportedly visited the Russian military base in Niamey to personally thank the Russian forces for their professionalism in defending the airport infrastructure.
ISIL claimed responsibility for the coordinated assault on the Diori Hamani airbase, releasing media showing fighters near a hangar and setting fire to an aircraft before retreating. Analysts suggest the sophistication of the attack implies potential inside assistance, noting that previous successful regional operations may have emboldened the group to target strategic sites.
Initially, Niger’s military leadership accused Benin, France, and the Ivory Coast of sponsoring the airport assault, though these allegations lacked substantiation and were subsequently denied by Ivory Coast and Benin. France, which withdrew its military presence in 2023, has not issued a public comment regarding the incident.
This event underscores Russia's expanding security footprint across the Sahel, where Moscow seeks to build political and military partnerships amid its international isolation following the invasion of Ukraine. Russian forces or instructors are reportedly deployed in several African nations, with the African Corps now overseeing operations previously managed by the Wagner mercenary group.
Nigerien authorities have been engaged in a protracted conflict against both the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the local ISIL affiliate (EIS). The successful defense of the capital's primary air hub by Russian-Nigerien coordination signals a deepening reliance on Moscow for counter-terrorism support.
