Explosions, Gunfire Reported at Airport in Niger

Explosions and heavy gunfire were reported at Diori Hamani International Airport in Niger's capital, Niamey, on Thursday morning, prompting security forces to seal off the area.

According to witness accounts, the first explosions were heard around 6 a.m. local time, followed by intermittent gunfire that continued for nearly two hours.

A security source said preliminary indications suggest the airport may have come under attack, although Nigerien authorities had not issued an official statement on the incident at the time of reporting.

The latest security scare comes amid ongoing instability in the Sahel region. An affiliate of the Islamic State previously claimed responsibility for an attack on the same airport earlier this year.

Niger, along with neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, continues to face persistent threats from extremist groups linked to both al-Qaeda and Islamic State, with violence across the region causing thousands of deaths and displacing millions.