Explosions, sustained gunfire at airport in Niger capital, witnesses say

Explosions and sustained gunfire erupted at Niamey's airport in Niger early Thursday morning, with a security source suggesting the airport was under attack.

‌Explosions and ​sustained gunfire that lasted over an hour were heard early ‌Thursday morning at the airport in Niamey, the capital of Niger, and security forces had blocked off the ‌area, a Reuters witness and two residents said.

The ‌first explosions occurred at around 6 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and sporadic gunfire was still audible nearly two hours ⁠later, ​the Reuters ⁠witness said. A security source said it appeared the airport ⁠was under attack.

A Niger government spokesperson did not immediately respond to ​a request for comment. The Islamic State affiliate ⁠in the region claimed responsibility for an attack on the ⁠airport ​in January.

Niger, like its Sahel neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso, has struggled to contain attacks ⁠from jihadist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic ⁠State that ⁠have killed thousands and displaced millions in the three countries.