Sustained gunfire, loud blasts heard in Niger's capital

Sustained gunfire and loud blasts were heard early on Thursday near Niamey International Airport in Niger, according to a Reuters witness.

The heavy gunfire, which began nearly an hour earlier, was ongoing as of 0012 GMT, the witness said.

A video shared on social media platform X appeared to show the city's night skyline illuminated by gunfire, though Reuters has not independently verified the footage.

A spokesperson for Niger's military government, which seized power in a July 2023 coup, was not immediately available for comment.

The Sahel West African nation, like neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, has struggled to contain attacks from jihadist groups with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State, that have killed thousands and displaced millions in the three nations.